Water-filled telescopes
arXiv:1401.5585
Abstract
In this short note we discuss the case of the thought experiments on water-filled telescopes and their realizations during 18th and 19th century. The story of those instruments shows that the scientific progress occurs in a curious way, since there was no stringent reason for the construction of a water-filled telescope.
7 pages; to appear in the proceedings of the Conference for the tercentenary of the birth R.G. Boscovich, Pavia, Italy, Sept. 2011