Newton invented a new kind of telescope, the reflecting telescope. Today, the world's largest telescopes are of this basic design.
A few years later, Newton built a different kind of telescope. It used a curved mirror to make faraway objects seem larger.
Light reflected from the surface of the mirror, instead of passing through a curved glass lens. Newton's reflecting telescope produced much clearer pictures than the old kind of telescope.
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SHIRLEY GRIFFITH:Years later, the British astronomer Edmund Halley visited Newton. He said he wanted Newton's help in finding an answer to a problem no one had been able to solve. The question was this: What is the path of a planet going around the sun?
Newton immediately gave Halley the answer: an egg-shaped path called an ellipse.
Halley was surprised. He asked for Newton's proof. Newton no longer had the papers from his earlier work. He was able to recreate them, however. He showed them to Halley. He also showed Halley all his other scientific work.
STEVE EMBER: Halley said Newton's scientific discoveries were the greatest ever made. He urged Newton to share them with the world.
Newton began to write a book that explained what he had done. It was published in sixteen eighty-seven. Newton called his book “The Mathematical Principles of Natural Philosophy.” The book is considered the greatest scientific work ever written.
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2013-11-25
2013-11-25
2013-11-25
2013-11-25
2013-11-25
2013-11-25