Tech From the 1660s: History's Best Sellers

Extra! Extra! Step right up to inspect the definitive collection of first-rate tech releases from 1660s. Discover the genuine articles of American ingenuity that captured the public's fancy and won nationwide acclaim during this historic era.

1. Reflecting Telescope

   Released in 1668 by Sir Isaac Newton

   In 1668, Sir Isaac Newton built the first operational reflecting telescope (the Newtonian reflector). Developed as a solution to the severe chromatic aberration (color distortion) that plagued contemporary refracting telescopes using glass lenses, Newton's design utilized a concave primary mirror to collect light and a flat diagonal secondary mirror to reflect the image to an eyepiece. This breakthrough revolutionized astronomy, allowing for compact, highly powerful telescopes that could view distant celestial bodies with unprecedented clarity.