![]() ![]() Many of these drawings can be seen on display in Birr Castle today, with their detail and passion clear. In fact, Parsons’ drawings were of spiral galaxies, a class of galaxies containing their own stars and dust with spiral arms extending from the center. Through observations and detailed pencil and chalk drawings, Parsons revealed the spiral structure of what were called ‘nebulae’ at the time. The remarkable telescope in the hands of William Parsons was responsible for one of the most significant discoveries in 19 th century astronomy. Sketch by Lord Rosse of the Whirlpool Galaxy in 1845. If they were lucky, they would also observe the night sky. The telescope held the status of largest in the world (in terms of aperture size) for an amazing 72 years, and in its heyday people flocked from across the world simply to view this marvel of engineering. Supported by experts in the creation, this culminated in the development of a reflecting telescope that stood in a structure around 50ft tall and had a 72inch aperture – the largest telescope in the world, which was dubbed the “Leviathan of Parsonstown”. At their home, Birr Castle, he experimented for several years, figuring out how to successfully cast his own mirrors and make the telescope maneuverable. Parsons was fortunate enough to be able to do so thanks to his wife, Mary Parsons (a pioneer in her own right in the field of photography) and her family fortune. In the 1840s Parsons envisaged and constructed his most exciting structure yet. Credit: National Library of Ireland on The Commons Leviathan of Parsonstown photographed in 1885. After experimenting in creation of several telescopes in the pursuit of his passion for astronomy, Parsons set about developing a particularly impressive structure, culminating in an extraordinary mirror telescope that would make an astonishing discovery. One of the greatest engineering feats and discoveries at Birr was by the 3 rd Earl of Rosse, William Parsons, who created the “Leviathan of Parsonstown”. Perhaps the most exciting part of the history of Birr Castle, the Parsons family’s focus on scientific development, came in the 19 th century, and would ignite a legacy of scientific research in the family. After two sieges in the 17 th century, the castle was restored and remodeled. The Parsons family arrived at Birr Castle in 1620, being granted the stronghold by James 1 st. In 1845, he would become known for creating the largest telescope in the world and with remarkable drawings, discovering the spiral nature of the “Whirlpool” galaxy – a breakthrough that deserves to always be remembered! The Parsons Family William Parsons, 3 rd Earl of Rosse, was born in June 1800, and at age 41 inherited his earldom and an estate in what is now County Offaly, Ireland, from his father. Public Domainįrontiers for Young Minds takes you down on a dive into the depths of the historical scientific archives and introduces you to scientists you may have not heard about, but you should! This time, we tell you the story of William Parsons, 3 rd Earl of Rosse, who found the “Whirlpool” galaxy. Portrait of William Parsons, 3rd Earl of Rosse. ![]()
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