In the mid-1800s, Lord Rosse built two giant telescopes on his estate in central Ireland. The biggest one, known as the Leviathan of Parsonstown, was the largest telescope in the world for over 60 years.
I designed and produced an audio-narrated, animated, musical flying carpet tour of Lord Rosse’s monster telescopes in Second Life (SL). It’s now gone, but Geo Meek (his SL name) made a video of the tour:
Reviews
… I really like your telescope exhibit. Great job! […] I plan to write about it in my new book… I think it’s a great example of how to use SL for education/museums. I was very impressed.
It was quite a treat – by far the best tour I have been on in SL!
I’m in awe of your work on the telescope – you have added a lot of new things and linked them together nicely… professional narration, synched to the [flying] carpet – which is synched to object actions. [I’m in awe of (?)] the quality of the models along with the signage and audio production values.
Although you can wander around, and hopefully wonder at, the exhibit, there is a flying carpet with audio tour … which is also well worth taking in my opinion. This tour also animates various features of the two telescopes, which is a joy to see in and of itself.
Find out More about the Monster Telescopes
I put additional information on another page. (Click the link on “another page” to go there.)
Production Credits
Written and Produced by: Troy McConaghy
Telescope models by: Jimbo Perhaps (SL name) and Avatrian
Telescope animations by: Jimbo Perhaps (SL name)
Crab (“wow…”) by: Tweke Underhill (SL name)
Trees and shrubs by: Heart Garden Center in SL
Magic lantern by: Pyter Morgridge (SL name)
Environmental sound effects and light beams by: Kriss Lehmann (SL name)
Butterflies by: Cynebald Ceawlin (SL name)
Leprechaun by: Pannie Paperdoll (SL name)
Music at Audio Check Station: “Comic Plodding” by Kevin MacLeod
Voice-Over Agency: Vox Talent
Narrated by: Nick Ryan
Music during the tour: “Fantastic A” by Kevin MacLeod
Database consultant: Eloise Pasteur (SL name)
With thanks to: Rocket Sellers (SL name) and Bjorlyn Loon (SL name)
Image Credits
Photo in “The Nebula M1” by: NASA/ESA
Photo in “M31 The Great Andromeda Nebula” by: NASA/ESA
Photo in “The Nebula M32” by: NASA/ESA
Photo in “The Nebula M101” by: Marc Staves
Black and white drawing of Lord Rosse: Public domain, obtained from Wikimedia Commons here
Photo of colliding galaxies in the eyepiece by: NASA/ESA
Lord Rosse’s drawing of the Crab Nebula: Public domain, obtained from here
Hubble photo of the M1, the Crab Nebula: NASA/ESA
Hubble photo of the Orion Nebula: NASA/ESA
Lord Rosse’s drawing of M51, the Whirlpool Galaxy: Public domain, obtained from here
Hubble photo of M51, the Whirlpool Galaxy: NASA/ESA
Image of the Pinwheel Galaxy: NASA/ESA
Troy McConaghy 
