Alice and the telescope

[Ducklet Cat]

I read in "Alice in Wonderland":

"What a curious feeling!' said Alice; 'I must be shutting up like a telescope."
"Now I'm opening out like the largest telescope that ever was"

What does she means about a telescoping opening and shutting up? I know that a telescope is used to viewing far objects.

Thanks

 

[Raymott]

I read in "Alice in Wonderland":

"What a curious feeling!' said Alice; 'I must be shutting up like a telescope."
"Now I'm opening out like the largest telescope that ever was"

What does she means about a telescoping opening and shutting up? I know that a telescope is used to viewing far objects.

Thanks

Way back in the olden days, before they invented knobs, you focussed a telescope by making it longer and shorter by extending or shortening the concentric tubes.
Hence the term "telescopic" to describe other similar mechanisms, like the forks of a motorcycle suspension.

http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Telescoping_(mechanics)

Here's a telescopic ladder:
YouTube - Telescopic Ladder Demonstration by TradePlumbing
Here's a telescopic fishing rod:
YouTube - Fishing How To - Telescopic Pole Fishing Trip

 

[BobK]

:up: Remember, DC, it's fantasy - Alice has fallen asleep in front of the fire (or somewhere like that - I forget the details). So she's actually (in her dream) changing shape.

b

 

[emsr2d2]

"Before they invented knobs"! Thanks for that, it will have me giggling all day!!! :-D

 

[Ducklet Cat]

That's interesting, thanks Raymott for the videos.
Thanks Bobk & emsr2d2.