Optical Collection

Orion nebula. Coloured composite infrared and visible light image of the Orion nebula M42. This emission nebula, a cloud of gas and dust in which starbirth takes place

Nebula Sh 2-106, HST image
Nebula Sh 2-106, Hubble Space Telescope (HST) image. Combined optical and infrared image of the compact star-forming region and emission nebula Sharpless 2-106 (Sh 2-106)

Blossom and Decay
BLOSSOM AND DECAY

Northern lights. The Northern Lights are created as electrically charged particles from the Solar wind are pulled in toward the magnetic poles by the Earths magnetic field

Rainbow Falls, near Hilo, Hawaii, USA. Date: 1935

Optical photo of the star Sirius using star filter
The two bright stars just below centre are Alpha Centauri (left) & Beta Centauri. To their right are the four stars forming the constellation of the Southern Cross, or Crux Australis

Spiral galaxy M81, composite image in visible (yellow), infrared (red), and ultraviolet (blue) light. The yellow centre indicates older stars, the blue areas in the spiral arms are hot, young stars

Pleiades star cluster
Pleiades. Optical image of the Pleiades star cluster (M45) in the constellation Taurus, the bull. North is at top. This is a cluster of young stars thought to be around 50 million years old

Horsehead Nebula. Optical image of Barnard 33 (the Horsehead Nebula), 1600 light years away in the constellation of Orion. North is at left

Andromeda galaxy. Optical image of the Andromeda spiral galaxy (M31). North is at top. This is the nearest major galaxy to our own Milky Way

University of Oxford. College of the University and Queens College. Illustration in Vues d Optique (Perspective Views). Images to be seen through a zograscope

H-He-Hg emission spectra C017 / 7260
H-He-Hg emission spectra. Graphical representation of the emission spectra lines for the elements hydrogen (H), helium (He) and mercury (Hg)

Interacting galaxies Arp 147, HST image
Interacting galaxies Arp 147. Hubble Space Telescope (HST) image of a pair of interacting galaxies known as Arp 147. The galaxy at left is relatively undisturbed apart from a smooth ring of

Bald Prima Donna 20C
A prima donna and her two bald-headed admirers

Chadburn Brothers, Optical Instrument Makers, Albion Works, Nursery Street
Original at Sheffield Local Studies Library: MP 855 L

Interacting galaxies NGC 5257 and 5258
Interacting galaxies NGC 5257 and NGC 5258. Hubble Space Telescope (HST) image of two interacting spiral galaxies, collectively known as Arp 240

Cigar galaxy (M82), composite image
Cigar galaxy (M82). Combined optical, infrared and X-ray image of the Cigar galaxy (M82). This image was obtained by combining data from three of NASAs Great Observatories, found in Earth orbit

Newtons telescope, historical artwork
Newtons telescope. Historical reproduction of a sketch by Sir Isaac Newton (1643-1727) of a reflecting telescope and its components

Spiral galaxy M81, composite image. M81 is around 12 million light years from Earth, in the constellation of Ursa Major. It has a supermassive black hole at its centre

Mutoscope at Gravesend
New Road, Gravesend (Kent) - notice the premises of The Wonderful Mutoscope (a forerunner of the cinema) - Admission Free !

Helix nebula, planetary nebula
Helix nebula (NGC 7293), optical image. This is a planetary nebula, a series of shells of gas cast off from a Sun-like star towards the end of its life

Lagoon nebula M8
Lagoon nebula. Optical image of the Lagoon nebula (M8), a large starbirth region around 30 light years across. North is at top

Camera lenses. Seen here (from left to right) are: a wide-angle fixed lens, a standard zoom lens (left), a wide-angle zoom lens (right) and a telephoto lens

Open star cluster NGC 3603, HST image. The stars seen here are young stars, heating the gas and dust of the nebulae around them

Whirlpool Galaxy (M51, NGC 5194), visible light image. The Whirlpool galaxy is locked in a gravitational interaction with the smaller irregular galaxy NGC 5195 (left of M51)

Optical illusion disc with man jumping rope and a man sticking out his tongue. Date 1833

Pleiades star cluster
Pleiades. Optical image of part of the Pleiades star cluster (M45) in the constellation Taurus, the bull. North is at top. This is a cluster of young stars thought to be around 50 million years old

Optical photo of the star Sirius using star filter
Gemini constellation. Stars of Castor (at centre) and Pollux (at lower centre) in the constellation of Gemini (the Twins)

April Fool / Coats 1924
April Fool: Two coats and hats on a stand, looking at first glance like a couple embracing

George Calver, English instrument maker
George Calver (1834-1927) English scientific instrument maker. Calvers interest in astronomy began in childhood when his local clergyman showed him a reflecting telescope

Compound eye of a fly, SEM Z340 / 0698
Compound eye. Coloured scanning electron micrograph (SEM) of the surface of a compound eye from a fruit fly (Drosophila busckii). The eye consists of many rounded lenses known as ommatidia

Pierre de Fermat, caricature C015 / 6714
Pierre de Fermat, caricature

M9 globular cluster, HST image
M9 globular cluster, Hubble Space Telescope (HST) image. Combined optical and infrared image of the Messier 9 (M9) globular star cluster

Optical illusion disc with somersaults and horseback riding. Date 1833

Channel tunnel. Historical artwork of a tunnel beneath the English Channel through which Napoleons troops are moving to invade England

Royal Society endorsement of a lens-grinder, 1600s
Opticians advertisement illustrated with Archimedes at a telescope, London, 1694. Hand-colored woodcut of a 17th-century illustration

Advertisement, Thomas Harris, Opticians to the Royal Family
Advertisement, Thomas Harris & Son, Opticians to the Royal Family. 1841

Carina Nebula features, HST image C013 / 5604
Carina Nebula features, HST image. These pillars of gas and dust within the Carina Nebula are Herbig-Haro Objects (HH 901 and HH 902)

Lyra constellation. Optical image of the constell- ation Lyra, the lyre. North is at top. The bright star at centre right is Vega (Alpha Lyrae)

Ghostly apparition produced by reflection. Date: 19th century

Bouquet of flowers in a stone niche, 1618, by Ambrosius Boss
Ambrosius Bosschaert the Elder (1573-1621). Dutch painter. Bouquet of flowers in a stone niche, 1618. National Museum of Art. Copenhagen. Denmark

Seagull Nebula, composite image. The image combines visible data and infrared data (orange). This star formation region is around 3500 light years distant on the borders of the constellations of

Leo constellation with Mars. Optical image of the zodiacal constellation Leo, the lion, seen with the planet Mars (orange, centre)

Canis Major constellation. Optical image of the constellation Canis Major, the great dog. North is at top. At upper right is Sirius (Alpha Canis Majoris), the brightest star in the sky

Supernova remnant IC 443, composite image. This is a combination of X-ray (blue), radio (green) and optical (red) data. A supernova remnant (SNR)

Mars, optical image. This image was taken when Mars was 68 million kilometres from Earth. The Martian summer in the northern hemisphere results in a large south polar ice cap (white, bottom)

Overlapping galaxies, HST image
Overlapping galaxies. Hubble Space Telescope (HST) image of the overlapping galaxies known as 2MASX J00482185-2507365. The two objects are both spiral galaxies, with the outer rim of a small

Boomerang Nebula, Hubble Space Telescope image. This is a bipolar reflection nebula, where gas and dust surrounding a star are shining by reflected light

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"Exploring the Mysteries of the Optical Universe: From Orion Nebula to Northern Lights" Step into a world where beauty and wonder collide, as we delve into the captivating realm phenomena. The breathtaking Orion Nebula unveils its celestial secrets, showcasing a cosmic ballet of Blossom and Decay. Behold the mesmerizing Nebula Sh 2-106 in all its glory, captured by the Hubble Space Telescope's keen eye. Its ethereal hues paint an otherworldly canvas that transports us to distant galaxies. But it's not just far-off wonders that captivate our gaze; closer to home, nature puts on its own spectacular light show with the enchanting dance of the Northern Lights. A sight so magical, it leaves us awestruck at Earth's natural marvels. Through an optical lens, we peer into space and witness Sirius shining brightly amidst a sea of stars. The star filter reveals its true radiance, reminding us of our infinitesimal place in this vast universe. The spiral galaxy M81 beckons us further into deep space with its stunning composite image. Its swirling arms tell tales of cosmic evolution and remind us that even galaxies are subject to change. Venturing deeper still, we encounter the enigmatic Horsehead Nebula—a dark silhouette against a backdrop of stellar brilliance—an enigma waiting to be unraveled. Andromeda Galaxy awaits our exploration next—the closest spiral galaxy to our Milky Way—inviting us to ponder what lies beyond our familiar celestial neighborhood. Intriguingly intertwined within this tapestry is also human ingenuity—the University of Oxford's College serves as a cradle for knowledge seekers who unravel these mysteries day by day. Meanwhile, Chadburn Brothers' Albion Works stands as testament to humanity's pursuit in crafting precise optical instruments that unlock new realms for discovery.