The electronic strobe light stroboscope was invented in 1931, when Harold Eugene Edgerton ("Doc" Edgerton) employed a flashing lamp to study machine parts in motion.

What is the stroboscopic effect?

The stroboscopic effect is a visual phenomenon caused by aliasing that occurs when continuous rotational or other cyclic motion is represented by a series of short or instantaneous samples (as opposed to a continuous view) at a sampling rate close to the period of the motion.

When was the stroboscope invented?

Although many people associate the stroboscope with Edgerton, it was actually invented in 1832. The term "stroboscope" comes from Greek for "whirling watcher".