Telescopes

These flashcards cover the key concepts related to telescopes and their functions, types, and significance in astronomy.

Refractor telescope

A telescope that uses a glass lens as its objective to gather light.

Reflector telescope

A telescope that uses a mirror as its objective to gather light.

Chromatic aberration

A distortion in the image caused by different wavelengths of light being bent at different angles as they pass through a lens.

Adaptive optics

Technology that compensates for atmospheric turbulence by adjusting the shape of a telescope's mirrors.

Angular resolution

The ability of a telescope to distinguish between two closely spaced objects; a smaller angular resolution indicates better distinction.

CCDs (Charge-Coupled Devices)

Highly sensitive electronic sensors used in telescopes to convert incoming photons into electrical signals for imaging.

Light gathering power

The ability of a telescope to collect light, which depends on the area of its objective lens or mirror.

Functions of a telescope

The primary functions include forming images, gathering light, seeing fine detail, and magnifying objects.

Ray diagram

A representation that shows the possible paths light can take from an object to an observer or screen.

F-ratio

Also known as f-number, it indicates the speed of a telescope's optics; smaller f-ratios allow for brighter images.

Spitzer Space Telescope

An infrared space telescope launched in 2003, now retired, known for observing star-forming clouds.

Hubble Space Telescope

A visible light and UV telescope launched in 1999, still operational, which has provided insights into galaxy mergers and black holes.

Chandra X-ray Observatory

An X-ray telescope launched in 1999 that studies supernovae and neutron stars.

Compton Gamma Ray Observatory

A retired gamma-ray telescope that operated from 1991 to 2000, known for observing exploding stars and gamma-ray bursts.

Interferometry

A technique used in radio astronomy that links multiple telescopes to achieve higher resolution.

Atmospheric turbulence

Random air movements in the atmosphere that cause twinkling of stars and affect the clarity of telescope images.

telescope optics

The optical components of a telescope, including lenses and mirrors, which are responsible for focusing light.

James Webb Space Telescope

The next generation NASA telescope designed to succeed the Hubble Space Telescope and observe various astronomical phenomena.

Great Observatories

A group of four space telescopes (Spitzer, Hubble, Chandra, Compton) launched by NASA to study different aspects of the universe.