# The Telescope of the Rocky Mountains explained — From the Earth to the Moon

> Chapter companion for From the Earth to the Moon by Jules Verne.

## What happens

The Gun Club commissions the Cambridge Observatory to build a colossal telescope on Long's Peak in the Rocky Mountains, capable of magnifying objects 48,000 times to observe the moon. The chapter details the technical challenges of constructing a 280-foot reflector telescope, the choice of site, and the triumph of American engineering in overcoming immense obstacles.

## Themes in this chapter

### Scientific Progress and Innovation

The chapter details the technical advancements in telescope construction, including the use of Foucault's plating method and the decision to use a reflector over a refractor for greater magnifying power.

### Human Ambition and Exploration

The Gun Club's determination to build a telescope capable of magnifying 48,000 times to observe the moon reflects their ambitious goal to explore the lunar surface.

### Nationalism and American Exceptionalism

The narrative emphasizes 'American genius' triumphing over all obstacles, from desert prairies to impenetrable forests, in constructing the telescope on a high mountain within the Union.

## Character check-ins

### Impey Barbicane

As president of the Gun Club, Barbicane credits the Cambridge Observatory with the funds for the telescope and oversees the project.

### J. T. Maston

Maston is implied as a key member of the Gun Club involved in the telescope's construction and observation plans.

### Murchison

The engineer Murchison is referenced as one of the American engineers who overcame the difficulties of building the telescope on Long's Peak.

## Key lines

> American genius triumphed over all these obstacles. Less than a year after beginning the works in the last days of the month of September, the gigantic reflector rose in the air to a height of 280 feet.

American ingenuity overcame every challenge, and within a year of starting construction in late September, the enormous 280-foot reflector telescope was completed.

_Highlights the rapid and successful construction of the telescope despite harsh conditions._

> The first time it was pointed at the moon the observers felt both curious and uneasy. What would they discover in the field of this telescope which magnified objects 48,000 times?

When the telescope was first aimed at the moon, the observers were filled with curiosity and anxiety, wondering what they would see with such immense magnification.

_Captures the suspense and anticipation of the initial lunar observation._

## Links

- HTML: https://www.betterreads.online/discover/from_the_earth_to_the_moon_se/chapters/the-telescope-of-the-rocky-mountains
- Book: https://www.betterreads.online/discover/from_the_earth_to_the_moon_se
- All chapters: https://www.betterreads.online/discover/from_the_earth_to_the_moon_se/chapters