Offering a refreshingly cross-disciplinary approach, this history of the telescope broadens the story of this iconic device to explain the use of the telescope at sea; explore its cultural influences in literature, art, and film; and reveal its everyday uses—from bird watching to spying. Complete with illustrations that visually trace the development of the technology alongside the text, the book discloses lesser-known stories involving the dangers of termites and some unique uses of a well and a Ford Model T. While more well-known stories of scientific marvels like the Hubble telescope are also covered, this in-depth account deliberately goes beyond the obvious to examine the important development of the telescope as a modest hand-held device and analyze its wider impact on culture and society.