Telescope

Definition

A telescope is an optical instrument designed to make distant objects appear nearer, primarily using lenses or mirrors to collect and focus light. It is a fundamental tool in astronomy for observing celestial bodies.

5 Must Know Facts For Your Next Test

1. The invention of the telescope is credited to Hans Lippershey in 1608, but Galileo Galilei was the first to use it for astronomical observations.
2. There are two main types of telescopes: refracting telescopes, which use lenses, and reflecting telescopes, which use mirrors.
3. Telescopes can observe various wavelengths of light including visible light, radio waves, and X-rays.
4. The Hubble Space Telescope has provided some of the most detailed images of space due to its position outside Earth's atmosphere.
5. Resolution and light-gathering power are critical features that determine a telescope's ability to observe faint and distant objects.

Review Questions

• Who was the first person to use a telescope for astronomical observations?
• What are the two main types of telescopes and how do they differ?
• Why is the Hubble Space Telescope able to provide such detailed images?

Related terms

Refracting Telescope:

Uses lenses to bend (refract) light rays to form an image

Reflecting Telescope:

Uses mirrors to reflect light rays and form an image

Hubble Space Telescope:

A space-based observatory that has provided high-resolution images of space since its launch in 1990