Background
Troughton was born at Corney, Cumberland.
Troughton was born at Corney, Cumberland.
In 1795 he delivered the Troughton Equatorial Telescope to the Armagh Observatory, a 2 inch aperture refractor telescope mounted equatorially, and its first major instrument since its founding in 1790 (lieutenant survived into the 21st century also). He created the Groombridge Transit Circle in 1806, which Stephen Groombridge used to compile his star catalogue. He did not merely build instruments, but designed and invented new ones.
He was elected a Fellow of the Royal Society in March 1810.
Troughton was involved in a lawsuit against Sir James South, who was dissatisfied with the quality of an equatorial mounting that Troughton made for him. Troughton sued for payment, and with informal legal counsel provided by Richard Sheepshanks, he prevailed.
Troughton was color blind. On his death he was buried in Kensal Green Cemetery.
Royal Society.