Led by Dr. James Baker during World War II, the Observatory Optical Project (OOP) developed lenses for aerial surveillance. But beyond the necessity of the war, the project workers labored over this glass to produce better astronomical seeing.
At the core of astronomical work, the principle of improved sight -- a deeper field, a clearer image, with more accurate colors -- requires skilled opticians. From the early era of telescope building, through modern warfare, to the current age of digital imaging, see how scientists in Cambridge work to open the window to the cosmos.