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First mercury strobe lamp made at MIT

Major collection: Science & Technology
Named collection: Harold E. Edgerton Collection
Object type: flash lamp
Maker: Date made: date unknown
Materials: glass; metal
Measurements: 16 in x 1 1/2 in
Nomenclature: photographic tools and equipment - high speed photographic equipment
Classification: tools and equipment

When Edgerton donated this large, now-broken tube to the MIT Museum, he labeled it "First Mercury Strobe Lamp Made at MIT." In his notebook, he refers to "tube #448141," made on March 17, 1927; this may be that tube. It appears on the left of a photograph of Edgerton stroboscopic apparatus from about 1931. See also the laboratory notebook entry from May 17, 1931. Note crazing of the glass due to overload and the melted nickel electrodes. This tube took a photo of MIT in 1941 from 2000 ft. at night. Capacity used = 4000 microfarads at 2000 volts. The tube was accidentally broken several years after being used.


1983.088.054

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