This book comprises a fascinating collection of contributions on the Merz telescopes in Italy
that collectively offer the first survey on historical large refracting telescopes in the
country drawing on original documents and photographs. It opens with a general introduction on
the importance of Merz telescopes in the history of astronomy and analyses of the local and
international contexts in which the telescopes were made. After examination of an example of
the interaction between the maker and the astronomer in the construction and maintenance of
these refractors the history of the Merz telescopes at the main Italian observatories in the
nineteenth century is described in detail. Expert testimony is also provided on how these
telescopes were successfully used until the second half of the twentieth century for research
purposes thus proving their excellent optical qualities.
