What type of electromagnetic energy do optical telescopes use?

Telescopes may be classified by the wavelengths of light they detect: Optical Telescope: An optical telescope gathers and focuses light mainly from the visible part of the electromagnetic spectrum (although some work in the infrared and ultraviolet).

What are telescopes used to study?

Optical telescopes study the visible light from space and ultraviolet telescopes study very hot stars. Many of these types of light (such as x-rays, gamma-rays, most ultraviolet, and infrared) can only be studied from space because they are blocked by our atmosphere.

What are optical telescopes used for?

An optical telescope is a telescope that gathers and focuses light mainly from the visible part of the electromagnetic spectrum, to create a magnified image for direct visual inspection, to make a photograph, or to collect data through electronic image sensors.

Are optical telescopes reflecting or refracting?

There are two basic kinds of optical (gathering visible light) telescopes. Refracting telescopes use convex lenses, at the front of a tube, to gather and focus incoming light. Reflecting telescopes make use of a primary concave mirror to gather light.

What are 3 properties of optical telescopes?

Telescopes have three properties that aid astronomers: (1) light-gathering power, which is a function of the size of the objective—large objectives gather more light and therefore “see” farther into space; (2) resolving power, which allows for sharper images and finer details, is the ability of a telescope to separate …

Is used in refracting optical telescope?

Refracting Telescopes Refractors use lenses to refract (bend) incoming light through a tube to a focal point. Refractors typically have two lenses. The objective lens is the lens at the front of the telescope through which the light passes. The eyepiece or lens is the lens, which magnifies the image.

What are 2 types of optical telescopes?

There are two main types of optical telescope – reflectors and refractors. Reflectors use a mirror to collect the light, whilst refractors use a lens.

How are the optics of a telescope used?

To do that, the optics—be they mirrors or lenses—have to be really big. The bigger the mirrors or lenses, the more light the telescope can gather. Light is then concentrated by the shape of the optics. That light is what we see when we look into the telescope. The optics of a telescope must be almost perfect.

How are telescopes used to see the night sky?

However, most telescopes today use curved mirrors to gather light from the night sky. The shape of the mirror or lens in a telescope concentrates light. That light is what we see when we look into a telescope. A telescope is a tool that astronomers use to see faraway objects.

How are refractors and reflectors different types of telescopes?

If you were looking to buy a telescope for yourself, you would learn that there are two basic designs: A refractor uses lenses within a tube to refract (bend) light. It’s the type of long telescope which you might imagine old-time astronomers, like Galileo, using. Reflectors, on the other hand, use mirrors instead of lenses to reflect light.

What kind of mirror does a telescope use?

Early telescopes focused light using pieces of curved, clear glass, called lenses. However, most telescopes today use curved mirrors to gather light from the night sky. The shape of the mirror or lens in a telescope concentrates light. That light is what we see when we look into a telescope.