James Short

James Short (born June 10, 1710, Edinburgh, Scot.—died June 14, 1768, London, Eng.) was a British optician and astronomer who produced the first truly parabolic—hence nearly distortionless—mirrors for reflecting telescopes. Short entered the University of Edinburgh as a candidate for the ministry, but he was inspired to study optics instead by the lectures of the Scottish mathematician Colin Maclaurin. Maclaurin, realizing Short’s mathematical talents, encouraged his interest in mathematics and optics, even providing him with...