General Information

Serial #

N/A

Part Number

1

Total Parts

2

AKA

N/A

Patents

N/A

General Description

METAL CASING, BRASS PARTS, GLASS LENSES & LEVEL BUBBLES

Dimensions

Note: These reflect the general size for storage and are not necessarily representative of the object's true dimensions.

Length

89.5 cm

Width

47.0 cm

Height

17.6 cm

Thickness

N/A

Weight

N/A

Diameter

N/A

Volume

N/A

Lexicon

Group

Astronomy

Category

Observation equipment

Sub-Category

N/A

Manufacturer

AKA

Unknown

Country

Unknown

State/Province

Unknown

City

Unknown

Context

Country

Canada

State/Province

Ontario

Period

Unknown

Canada

AN ASTRONOMICAL INSTRUMENT USED EARLY IN THE HISTORY OF THE METEOROLOGICAL SERVICE OF CANADA, POSSIBLY WHEN IT WAS THE TORONTO MAGNETIC & METEOROLOGICAL OBSERVATORY. IT WAS USED TO DETERMINE OFFICIAL TIME FOR CANADA.

Function

AN INSTRUMENT WITH A TELESCOPE WHICH CAN BE ROTATED ABOUT A HORIZONTAL AXIS, USED TO MEASURE ANGLES IN ORDER TO DETERMINE THE TIME. ACCORDING TO AES, THIS INSTRUMENT WAS USED TO DETERMINE OFFICIAL CANADIAN TIME BY MEANS OF SIGHTINGS FROM THE SUN.

Technical

A TYPE OF TRANSIT INSTRUMENT COMMON THROUGHOUT THE 19THCENTURY, INTENDED TO BE MOUNTED ON A STAND & BASE, & USUALLY HAVING A SMALL VERTICAL SETTING CIRCLE, A STRIDING LEVEL, & A LAMP FOR AXIS ILLUMINATION. THIS EXAMPLE CLOSELY RESEMBLES AN ILLUSTRATION OF A MID 19TH CENTURY TROUGHTON & SIMMS INSTRUMENT IN REF. 1.

Area Notes

Unknown

Details

Markings

N/A

Missing

EYEPIECE, LENS COVER, SETTING CIRCLE VIEWER LENS, LAMP?; STONE PLINTH FORMING BASE IS STILL ON SITE OUTSIDE ENGINEERING BLDG AT UNIVERSITY OF TORONTO

Finish

DARK GREY METALLIC PAINTED CASING, PLATED & BRASS COLOURED PARTS, LACQUERED

Decoration

N/A