Basic Telescope Physical and Optical Characteristics Essay -- physics

Here you will find a variety of information on the optical characteristics of various types of telescopes as well as some of the basic underlying physics behind them. This includes some information that pertains to the preformance degredation of a telescope optical system (for instance, vignetting and air turbulance) and a few concepts of mirror design (the parabolic shape and over/under correction of the primary mirror). I'd recommend starting with the "Optical Paths" section so you can familiarize yourself with some of the basic types and concepts of several of the widely used telescope designs before reading the other sections. Optical Paths of Various Types of Telescopes Here is one of the most interesting parts of astronomy and star gazing: the equipment. There are four different types of basic telescope designs that are in use today. One of these, perhaps the most widely known, is the Refractor. The refracting telescope was first utilized for astronomy by Galileo Galilei in 1609, but it was invented by the German Dutch lens maker named Hans Lippershey in 1608 (Zoom Inventors and Inventions). There are also three other types of common telescopes. These include the Shmidt Cassegrain, Maksutov Cassegrain, and the Newtonian Reflector. In terms of design, they all have different advantages and disadvantages (including cost considerations) that have to be taken into account if one were to decide on a particular design to purchase. Ultimately, the physics behind the the different designs will have an effect in influencing a purchasing decision. But before the four different designs are discussed with greater detail, a few technical terms must be introduce d and defined. Central Obstruction - Refers to the secondary mirror ... ...ope Basics. 18 Nov. 2002 Freudenrich, Craig. How Telescopes Work. How Stuff Works. 18 Nov. 2002 ACEPT W3 Group. The Refraction of Light Part II. 14 Dec. 1999. 18 Nov. 2002 Vignetting Caused by the Limiting Aperature of Various Tubes and Adapters. 18 Nov. 2002 Marvelde, Arjan. A 10'' Newton Telescope. 17 Nov. 2002 VandeWettering, Mark. Telescope Basics. 18 Nov. 2002 The Meade UHTC Group. 19 Nov. 2002