Time to Get to Work

I mentioned the epic journey of the 200-inch mirror's trip across the country in my Trainspotting post. Seventy two years ago today, April 10, 1936, the train carrying the giant Pyrex mirror finally pulled into its destination: Caltech in Pasadena, CA.


Under the direction of Marcus Brown, the real work on the glass-grinding and polishing the mirror into a parabola, was set to begin in the Caltech optical shop.

No one knew that the task, with delays for World War II, would span 11 and a half years. In the process some five and a half tons of glass were removed.

I'll have more on Marcus Brown and the figuring of the mirror in a future post.