Telescopes and Optics Review

A set of vocabulary flashcards covering key terms and definitions related to telescopes and optics.

Telescope

An optical instrument designed to make distant objects appear closer and clearer.

Objective

The optical component of a telescope, typically a lens or mirror that collects light.

Refraction

The bending of light rays when they pass from one medium to another.

Chromatic Aberration

Optical distortion in lenses where different colors of light are focused at different points.

Concave Mirror

A mirror that curves inward, used in reflecting telescopes to gather light.

Focal Point

The point where light rays converge after passing through a lens or reflecting off a mirror.

Magnification

The degree to which an image is enlarged as compared to the original object size.

Angular Size

The apparent size of an object as seen from a given distance, measured in angles.

Snell’s Law

A formula used to describe the relation between the angles of incidence and refraction.

Eyepiece Lens

The lens that magnifies the image in a telescope.

Field of View (FoV)

The extent of the observable area seen through a telescope or camera.

Total Internal Reflection

The complete reflection of a light ray within a medium as it strikes the boundary with a less dense medium at a critical angle.

Thin Convex Lens

A lens that is thicker at the center than at the edges, used in telescopes to converge light.

Light Divergence

The spreading out of light rays as they move away from a source.

Myopia

A condition where distant objects appear blurry because light is focused in front of the retina.

Hyperopia

A condition where nearby objects appear blurry because light is focused behind the retina.

Reflection

The bouncing back of light rays when they hit a surface.

Reflecting Telescope

A telescope that uses mirrors to gather and focus light.

Refracting Telescope

A telescope that uses lenses to gather and focus light.

Ray Tracing

A method for representing the path of light rays as they pass through optical devices.

Focal Length (ft)

The distance from the lens or mirror to the point where it focuses light.

Spectroscopy

The study of the interaction of light and matter to analyze the composition of substances.

Continuum Spectrum

A spectrum that shows all wavelengths emitted by a hot, dense light source.

Emission Spectrum

The spectrum of light emitted by a substance when it is excited or heated.

Absorption Spectrum

The spectrum that shows dark lines or gaps indicating wavelengths absorbed by a substance.

Camera Obscura

An early device used to project an image onto a surface, a precursor to modern cameras.

Optical Axis

An imaginary line that defines the path along which light travels through a lens or mirror.

Irradiance

The amount of light energy received per unit area.

Light Transmission

The passage of light through a medium.

Diverging Lens

A lens that causes light rays to spread apart.

Primary Mirror

The main mirror in a reflecting telescope, usually concave, that gathers light.

Secondary Mirror

A smaller mirror in a reflecting telescope that redirects light to the eyepiece.

Flat Mirror

A mirror with a flat reflective surface, used for simple reflection.

Optic Nerve

The nerve that transmits visual information from the retina to the brain.

Parallax

The apparent shift in position of an object when viewed from different angles.

Infrared Telescopes

Telescopes designed to detect infrared radiation from celestial objects.

Galilean Telescope

A refractive telescope designed by Galileo, using a concave eyepiece lens.

Keplerian Telescope

A type of refracting telescope with an inverted image produced by two convex lenses.

White Light Dispersion

The process whereby white light is split into different colors upon passing through a prism.

Light Ray

An idealized model representing a narrow beam of light.

Telescope Aperture

The diameter of the telescope's objective lens or mirror, which determines how much light is collected.

Newton's Prisms Experiment

Isaac Newton's demonstration that white light consists of multiple colors by splitting light with prisms.