Kaleidoscope is a optical instrument that serves to create symmetrical visual effects with the help of a set of mirrors and colored glass.
Currently, in addition to the recreational value it has, the kaleidoscope still serves to provide drawing patterns for artists, for example.
Kaleidoscopes (or kaleidoscopes) are cylindrical objects, made of metal or cardboard, whose bottom is covered with mirrors and small pieces of colored glass. With the movement of this instrument, the reflection of the glass in the mirrors creates an infinite mixture of images with different shapes and colors.
Example of an optical effect created inside a kaleidoscope.
From the figurative sense of this term, a kaleidoscope can also be considered any type of object that produces colored images, with different symmetrical shapes and in constant movement.
See also:meaning of optics.
Etymologically, the word kaleidoscope originated from the joining of the Greek terms kallós (“beautiful”, “beautiful”); eidos ("Image"); and
skopeo (“look at”, “watch”). Thus, the original meaning of the Greek word would be “to see beautiful images”.Origin of the kaleidoscope
The invention of the kaleidoscope is attributed to the Scottish scientist David Brewster, in 1816. Initially, this device was popularized solely as a toy, due to the pleasant visual effects it provided to the viewer.
