The Elementary Theory of the Symmetrical Optical Instrument (Classic Reprint) - Hardcover

J. G. Leathem

Hardcover

ISBN 10: 0260132624 ISBN 13: 9780260132628

Publisher: Forgotten Books, 2018

Synopsis

Understand how light bends through symmetrical optical instruments and how to minimize image errors.

This classic work presents clear, practical formulas for refraction, the behavior of complex lens systems, and the effect of surface shape on performance. It lays a solid foundation for analyzing and designing optical instruments with precision and insight.

Written with the precision of early 20th‑century optics, the text covers analytical and approximate methods for predicting ray paths, the role of equivalent thin lenses, and the behavior of reflecting and refracting surfaces. It blends theory with workable approaches you can apply to real optical design problems.

• Learn approximate and exact formulas for refraction through multi‑surface systems
• See how a sequence of refracting surfaces can be analyzed with a common normal
• Explore the concept and limits of the equivalent thin lens for complex instruments
• Understand how aberrations, focal lines, and normals affect image quality in both refracting and reflecting instruments

Ideal for readers of engineering and physics who want a rigorous, hands‑on approach to optical design and analysis.

About this title

Book Description

Originally published in 1928, this book deals with the physical and mathematical aspects of the symmetrical optical system. Steward's explanation is taken in part from lectures delivered to students of mathematics and physics at the University of Cambridge in the early twentieth century.

Edition details

• Publisher: Forgotten Books
• Publication date: 2018
• Language: English
• ISBN 10: 0260132624
• ISBN 13: 9780260132628
• Binding: Hardcover
• Number of pages: 90