Photograph (Collodion Glass Negative, Circular) of the Moon, by Warren De la Rue, March 27, 1863

Collodion glass negative, circular. Half moon, taken through De la Rue's 13-inch reflector (which later came to the University Observatory, Oxford). The plate is circular, 2¾ ich diameter, and the moon's disc exactly 1 inch (26 mm) diameter. Detail of surface features and relief can be seen clearly, especially towards the central axis in the vicinity of the eclipsed edge, where many individual craters show with great clarity. The moon's half-disc shows lilac towards the limb and grey towards the central axis by transmitted light, and thick cream colour by reflected; the positive effect when viewed against a dark background (a characteristic of the collodion negative) is very striking and detailed. The plate is bound with a cover glass with passe-partout binding (probably of later date), with north-south-east-west printed labels stuck on. The date and details are scratched on to the outside of the glass. A later note by F. A. Bellamy accompanies it.