Telescopes are a vital tool to observe the far off objects in the universe in great detail. The principle for telescopes is simple. They use lenses, curved mirrors or sometimes both to make distant objects appear closer and brighter, allowing us to study them better. The more light a telescope can gather the better the images would be, which is why high aperture telescopes can form clearer images. However, different types of telescopes have their own unique advantages.
There is a debate amongst scientists on the topic of who invented the telescopes. However, the majority seems to believe that the first telescope was invented by Hans Lippershey, a Dutch lensmaker, in 1608. Sir Esaac Newton later went on to invent another type of telescope which was named after him as ‘The Newtonian telescope, also called the Newtonian reflector’. This type of telescope uses a concave primary mirror and a flat diagonal secondary mirror. His reason to invent these telescopes was to avoid the problems of chromatic aberration found with refractors.
Apart from extensive research on the planets, galaxies and the universe – star watching, astronomy and astrophotography are some of the most rapidly growing hobbies to have in today’s world. Hence, there are easy to install and easy to operate telescopes available for people with new interest in this field. The mystery of the universe creates a great sense of curiosity in people from all ages. To be able to look at our planets and learn about the galaxy and beyond, we need a telescope, but which kind?
Depending on your needs, you can choose from one the following types of telescopes –
Refractor telescope uses specially designed lenses to focus on the entering light and turn them into images for you to see with your eyes or capture through a telescopic camera. Refracting telescopes use a longer tunnel for the light to travel through a straight long path. The larger the lens of a refractor telescope the longer these tubes are required for the light to travel through, resulting in images. This usually means that Refracting telescopes are rather pricey because they require a certain quality of lenses, manufactured at a good cost. However, the majority of these telescopes available for purchase are smaller in comparison to other types of telescopes.
Function : Refracting telescopes work by using two lenses to focus the light and make it look like the object is closer to you than it really is. These two lenses are in a ‘convex’ shape which bend the light inwards.
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Reflector telescopes use mirrors to reflect the light resulting in visuals. Because of this reason, reflector telescopes can be shorter than refracting telescopes in size and easy to carry around. Images in reflector telescopes technically appear upside down. So make sure before buying a reflector telescope that it is equipped with an already installed ‘finders scope’ or a ‘red dot finder’ to guide you better and save you an added expense to buy the finders scope separately.
Manufacturing large mirrors can be cheaper than manufacturing large lenses hence reflecting telescopes are comparatively less in cost to refractor telescopes. The use of mirrors instead of curved lenses in refracting telescopes makes them pocket friendly and easy to use and perfect for people with a newfound passion for the night sky.
Function : Reflector/Newtonian telescopes use mirrors to collect and focus the light from far away towards the viewing piece. It uses curved mirrors to gather light from the night sky and it is light that you see when you are looking into it.
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Cassegrain telescopes are made from a combination of curved lenses and mirrors. They are somewhat of a hybrid between refractors and reflectors. Making them a popular choice amongst hobbyists as they are the most easy to use telescopes giving high quality images. Amateur astronomers looking for quality in optics should go for cassegrain telescopes. These telescopes are able to provide large diameter optics in a very short tube making them portable and convenient for use.
Function: Cassegrain Telescopes use a spherical primary mirror to focus the parallel rays of incoming light onto a convex secondary mirror. This then reflects the light back through a hole in the primary mirror to the eyepiece or detector.
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Picking the right telescope for your space exploration can be a daunting task if you are a newbie in the field. Refractors are ideal for high quality professional level astronomical viewing whereas reflectors are good for mid-level explorers. If you are an amateur astronomer, you can consider buying a Cassegrain telescope as it offers the best of both worlds. Cassegrains are also ideal for astrophotography.
After this easy guide on the nitty gritty of three main types of telescopes, we hope you are able to make the best decision for your investment. It is certain that no matter which one you choose, the revelation of the universe awaits your amazement. For buying these telescopes you can visit Ryda and make your informed choice.
