Types of telescope: which ones exist and what functions they have
Surely you have ever been somewhere clear at night, like in the middle of the mountain or on a beach far from the city, and you have been surprised to look up and see everything that the night sky hides . And there is no better time than now to get started in astronomy , since thanks to advances in technology we can find a wide selection of types of telescopes on the market for all levels and for all budgets.
And it is that the firmament has something that attracts us all, to a greater or lesser extent; It may be because of that innate need of the human being to try to learn more about the unknown or perhaps because of its immensity, which allows us to investigate and discover everything that surrounds us. Interesting topic to know more about kupujemprodajem.
Thinking of all those who want to become future amateur astronomers and learn more about space, we have prepared this complete guide to choose the best type of telescope for your needs.
Currently the range of types of telescopes, as we have already mentioned, is very wide. Therefore, before choosing one, we must take into account how dark the sky is where we are going to make the observations, what we want to observe, if it has to be transported or is going to be fixed, the level of experience or the budget.
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How does a telescope work?
The main function of an astronomical telescope is to collect light and allow distant objects to be seen . To do this, the vast majority have a series of curved mirrors, which are responsible for collecting and focusing the light. These mirrors are called “optics”.
And although mirrors are used today, due to their lightness and the ease of being able to make them completely smooth, the first telescopes were made with lenses made from pieces of transparent and curved glass.
The larger the optics of the telescope, the more capacity it will have to collect light and, therefore, allow you to see more distant and dim objects.
However, this does not mean that you have to buy the largest telescope that your budget allows. Everything will depend, as we have already mentioned, on our needs and the conditions in which we are going to use this tool.
You have to pay more attention to the ability of the telescope to collect more light than the human eye can capture, than to its magnification. This is, without a doubt, the most important aspect and one of the characteristics to take into account when choosing a telescope.
What types of telescopes are there?
In 1608 in the Netherlands a manufacturer of glasses began to make the first type of telescope. That first design was improved by Galileo years later and he began to use it to observe the night sky .
And although today there is a great variety, they can basically all be classified into three main types of telescopes : refracting telescopes, reflecting telescopes and catadioptric telescopes.
refracting telescopes
This type of telescope stands out for being one of the easiest to use , since it only has two lenses.
Its operation, like its use, is very simple. One end of the telescope collects the light, which is deflected by the lenses to the other end, from where the enlarged image can be seen through the eyepiece .
The biggest handicap of refracting telescopes is that they are usually very heavy and large, due to the large lenses and the elongated tube-shaped body. This makes it difficult to transport, which is why it is a type of telescope that is recommended to those amateurs who want it to always have it at a fixed point.
They also tend to have a high price due to the high-quality lenses, which are used in their manufacture to achieve clear images, and the materials used to make the primary objective, which is characterized by its large aperture that allows to collect more light.
It is one of the most recommended types of telescopes for those who want to get started in deep sky astrophotography.
reflecting telescopes
Reflecting telescopes are defined as a type of telescope in its catoptric version.
Although they have many aspects in common with refracting telescopes , such as the lenses and their tube system, they have other characteristics that make them stand out. An example of this is its compact size, which makes it an excellent option to be able to carry out night observations anywhere in a very simple way.
It has a primary mirror at one end and a secondary mirror at the other, both curved inwards. The primary mirror is responsible for reflecting light to the secondary mirror and the eyepiece. This last element, as a general rule in this type of telescope, is located on one of the sides.
Due to its value for money, this type of telescope is one of the best options to start in astronomy . However, while they are simple to use and design, and often very affordable in price, close attention must be paid to their maintenance due to their exposed tube and the ease with which they can become misaligned.
catadioptric telescopes
Catadioptrics are a type of hybrid telescope , that is, it is a combination of the previous two.
The light enters the interior of the tube through a corrective lens, is reflected by a primary mirror, a secondary mirror and is reflected again by the primary mirror before reaching the eyepiece.
Unlike refracting and reflecting telescopes, to focus the image it is necessary to move the primary mirror, not the eyepiece. Although this system can be complex, it allows this type of telescope to be very compact , which makes it easy to transport.
Thanks to being a combination of the other two types of telescopes, it is very versatile, making it an excellent option for both beginners and advanced amateurs .
