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Transit of Venus Slides

Astronomy

This is a stack of 18 small projection slides. Three of these are slides photographic film bound in cardboard; thirteen are have the image printed on glass bound with aluminum; two others are slides printed on glass with sliver tape around the rim. The slide content appears to be for a lecture on the Transit of Venus and depict astronomical arrangements, images and people associated with Transits. There is a small pink scrap paper piece on top of the slide stack that reads, “Transits of Venus”.

Two elastic bands that held the stack together have degraded. These have broken and are now stuck to the bottom slide.

Accession Number: 2012.ast.14

Alternative Name: Lecture Slides

Primary Materials:

Aluminium, glass, photographic film, cardboard.

Markings:

On the pink loose piece of paper: “Transits of Venus.”

Slides are individually numbered and some have descriptions of the slide content.

On aluminum slides: “Perrocolor, US Pat. 2916840, Made in Switzerland.”

On cardboard slides: “Oberon colour slide, A Woodmansterne Production. Copyright. Reproduced by courtesy of the Trustees of National Maritime Museum, Greenwich. Woodmansterne Ltd. Watford.”

Dimensions (cm):

Individual slide: Height = 0.2 x Width = 4.8 x Length = 4.8. Whole stack: Height = 4.4 x Width = 4.84.8 x Length =4.8

Function:

Visual aid for lecture on the Transit of Venus.

Condition:

Excellent. The slides themselves are in good condition. The labels affixed to them are worn, especially around the edges. The pink piece of paper is dirty and bent.

Two elastic bands, once holding the stack together, have degraded and have broken. They are now stuck to the bottom slide.

Associated Instruments:

Manufacturer:

Aluminum slides & glass/tape slides: probably homemade using materials from Perrocolor. Cardboard slides: Woodmansterne Ltd. Watford, National Maritime Museum

Date of Manufacture: c. 1970

Provenance:

University of Toronto Department of Astronomy and Astrophysics

Additional Information and References:

Historical Notes:

Themes: