Samuel Klingensteirna

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Samuel Klingensteirna

1697-1665

Swedish mathematician best known for his work toward eliminating chromatic aberration in telescope lenses. Chromatic aberration occurs when, like a prism, light is split into its component colors as it passes through a lens. In addition to being irritating, this distorting effect interfered with scientific measurements. Klingensteirna's work was sufficiently important that he was awarded a prize by the Russian Academy of Sciences in 1761.

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