Museo Galileo
italiano
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Virtual Museum
Burning mirror
    • Setting:
      Room IX
    • Maker:
      unknown
    • Date:
      18th cent.
    • Materials:
      metal, brass
    • Dimensions:
      diameter 130 mm
    • Inventory:
      791
    • Burning mirror (Inv. 791)

White metal disk inserted into a brass frame with two rings. It was used for experiments on the reflection of light. It also served to heat or calcinate various substances. These were placed in the point where the solar rays reflected by the mirror were concentrated, producing very high temperatures.