Ibn Al-haytham’s Camera Obscura at the University of

Ibn Al-Haytham’s Camera Obscura

at the University of Jordan

Islam M. Bazlamit

Hanin Sharif

Hanan Sa’adeh

The University of Jordan

Department of Physics,

Amman, JORDAN

Outline

Ibn Al-Haytham “Alhazen”

Camera Obscura

Motivations

Project Stages & Preliminary Results

Sponsors & Acknowledgements

Ibn Al-Haytham “Alhazen”

Explained the nature of light and vision by

correcting the previous wrong explanation.

The author of Kitab Al-Manazir “The Book of

Optics”.

The 2015 International Year of Light celebrated

the 1000 anniversary of his book.

Ibn Al-Haytham “Alhazen”

Ibn Al-Haytham Bust by the artist Ali Amro

(http://www.ibnalhaytham.com/)

Camera Obscura

The Latin translation of “Albeit Almuzlim”.

This phenomenon occurs when a light that

reflected from an object passes through a

pinhole of a dark chamber, then inverted

image of the object will be appeared on the

screen inside.

The surroundings of the projected image have

to be relatively dark for the image to be clear.

https://upload.wikimedia.org/wikipedia/commons/e/ec/001_a01_camera_obscura_abrazolas.jpg

Motivations

To shine light on the ancient Arab and Muslim

minds in science.

To provide an illustrative model of the nature of

light and vision that helps the students of optics

courses, and opens the door in front of students

to share their ideas that assist in the wheel of

development.

To make it as one of the landmarks at the

University of Jordan.

Stages and Preliminary Results

1st Stage: Portable Camera Obscura.

2nd Stage: Transforming a room of Ibn Al-

Haytham’s laboratory into camera obscura.

3rd Stage: Building Ibn Al-Haytham’s camera

obscura on the top of Physics Department.

1st Stage: Portable Camera Obscura

Designed by LAMBDA Physics Group in

celebrating the 2015 International Year of Light

at UJ.

This stage was done by two steps.

* Without Lens.

* With Lens.

Without Lens

Object Image

With Lens

Object Image

Before After

With LensWithout Lens

Portable camera obscura presented in the “Bright Tuesday”,

8/12/2015, and 15/12/2015. (http://science.ju.edu.jo/en/lambda)

2nd Stage

Transforming a Room in Ibn Al-

Haytham Lab into Camera Obscura

Pinhole

Screen

Problems & Difficulties

in Location of this RoomLocated at the corner of the lab, so it has a fixed

view only, and the view from this window is

blocked by the Physics Building.

Might be taken back for experiments.

The only room in the lab that contains a window,

and it has a small size

The image can be hardly collected for a short time

before sunset.

3rd Stage: Ibn Al-Haytham’s Camera

Obscura on the Top of Physics

Department

This stage is consisting of two steps:

* Simple Camera Obscura.

* Rotating Camera Obscura.

Simple room of (5*4*3 m) on the top of

physics building, completely dark except a

small hole on the wall side.

By using mirrors and some lenses to process

the viewing on the screen, we will get a great

view as same as the outside.

Simple Camera Obscura

(One View)

Dome with a set of holes at different angles, will be built on

top of the simple camera obscura.

A mirror will be suspended from the top of the dome at an

angle of 45 degrees relative to the plane of holes; in order to

reflect the incident light form a hole to the table covered by a

white screen. An appropriate lens is positioned in the way of

the reflected light rays; for focusing and vision corrections

preceding image formation on the screen.

All the holes will be covered except one using a mobile rail,

where the railroad is rotated alternately between holes, and

thus the external landscape that will appear on the display

screen will change.

Rotating Camera Obscura

(Different Views)

LAMBDA Physics Group at UJ.

Deanship of Scientific Research at

UJ.

??

Sponsors

Deanship of Faculty of Science.

LAMBDA Physics Group at UJ.

Optics Lab technician.

JUVAC staff.

Acknowledgements

E_201119@yahoo.com

asl0130748@sci.ju.edu.jo

Thank You