💡French physicist/mathematician Augustín Fresnel developed a lens system in the early 19th century to redirect more light from a light source than ever before. His invention, called the Fresnel lens, redirects more light than the previous mirror-based devices. The St. Augustine Lighthouse, built in 1874, received a first order Fresnel lens from Parisian lens maker Sautter, Lemonnier & Cie. Louis Sautter had been making lenses since 1852, though he merged with Lemonnier in 1870. Sautter reconfigured the company again in 1890 to become Sautter, Harlé & Cie. Our lens has 370 individual prisms and weighs roughly 2 tons. A 1000-watt light bulb currently serves as it light source, as they have since the tower was electrified in 1936. 📍staugustinelighthouse.org 📸: davidlong3653 #staugustinelighthouse #lens #fresnellens #staugustine #lovefl #lighthouse #light #museum #moon #fullmoon #march #saintaugustine #nonprofit #historicpreservation