Telescopes: Portals of Discovery

These flashcards cover essential vocabulary and concepts related to telescopes, light, and observational astronomy as discussed in the lecture.

Refraction

The bending of light when it passes from one substance into another, used by the eye to focus light.

Focal Plane

The plane where light from different directions comes into focus, producing an image.

Light-Collecting Area

The property of a telescope that determines how much light it can gather, related to its diameter.

Angular Resolution

The minimum angular separation that a telescope can distinguish, indicating the level of detail in an image.

Refracting Telescope

A telescope that focuses light using lenses.

Reflecting Telescope

A telescope that focuses light using mirrors.

Imaging

The process of taking pictures of the sky using a telescope.

Spectroscopy

The technique of breaking light into spectra to analyze its composition.

Adaptive Optics

Technology used in telescopes to compensate for atmospheric turbulence.

Interferometry

A technique for linking two or more telescopes to achieve higher angular resolution than a single telescope.