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Telescopes for Beginners
There are two basic types of telescopes: one in the reflector and the other is the refracting telescope. It is important to know the difference so that you can choose which is correct for you.
The first telescopes were the refractor type. A man named Lippershey was tinkering with eyeglass lenses and noticed that when he place one lens in front of the another the object resting just beyond the lenses were magnified slightly.
He soon built the first spyglass, the first optical telescope which focused light into the human eye. It also used two lenses. The first lens (the objective lens) collects and refracts (bends) incoming light, focusing it into a tiny image.
The secondary lens, placed directly in front of the first, magnifies the image, making it look larger to the eye.
This new invention was used as a novelty at parties and later by army officers to observe enemy troop movement up close. No one thought about using it to study the skies.
Galileo is best known for taking this invention, improving on it with more magnification, and turning it upwards to observe astronomy. He was the first to see other planets.
Telescopes were not only getting larger and more powerful the quality of the lenses were improving rapidly making images sharper.
A Scottish mathematician named James Gregory in the 1660s tried building a telescope that used mirror instead of a lens to gather light.
Isaac Newton picked up on the idea, came up with a simpler and better reflecting telescope, or a reflector. Light enters the telescope's tube from an opening in the front. The light travels to a mirror located in the back and bounces off.
Because the mirror curves inward slightly the reflected light comes together and forms a small image in the center of the scope.
To get the best viewing for your money your best choice would probably be a good pair of binoculars (two telescopes for the price of one). After that reflector telescopes are great for beginners. When you have more experience move up to a refractor telescope.
The first telescopes were the refractor type. A man named Lippershey was tinkering with eyeglass lenses and noticed that when he place one lens in front of the another the object resting just beyond the lenses were magnified slightly.
He soon built the first spyglass, the first optical telescope which focused light into the human eye. It also used two lenses. The first lens (the objective lens) collects and refracts (bends) incoming light, focusing it into a tiny image.
The secondary lens, placed directly in front of the first, magnifies the image, making it look larger to the eye.
This new invention was used as a novelty at parties and later by army officers to observe enemy troop movement up close. No one thought about using it to study the skies.
Galileo is best known for taking this invention, improving on it with more magnification, and turning it upwards to observe astronomy. He was the first to see other planets.
Telescopes were not only getting larger and more powerful the quality of the lenses were improving rapidly making images sharper.
A Scottish mathematician named James Gregory in the 1660s tried building a telescope that used mirror instead of a lens to gather light.
Isaac Newton picked up on the idea, came up with a simpler and better reflecting telescope, or a reflector. Light enters the telescope's tube from an opening in the front. The light travels to a mirror located in the back and bounces off.
Because the mirror curves inward slightly the reflected light comes together and forms a small image in the center of the scope.
To get the best viewing for your money your best choice would probably be a good pair of binoculars (two telescopes for the price of one). After that reflector telescopes are great for beginners. When you have more experience move up to a refractor telescope.
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