Introduction to Telescopes

These flashcards cover key concepts related to telescopes discussed in the lecture, helping to reinforce vocabulary and definitions essential for understanding astronomy.

Refractor Telescope

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

Reflector Telescope

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

Chromatic Aberration

A type of distortion that occurs in refractor telescopes, producing a rainbow of colors around the image due to the different bending of wavelengths of light.

Ray Diagram

A graphical representation of the possible paths light can take from an object to an observer, useful in understanding how telescopes form images.

Angular Resolution

The ability of a telescope to distinguish between two closely spaced objects; smaller angular resolutions provide better detail.

Light Gathering Power

The ability of a telescope to collect light, directly proportional to the area of the lens or mirror.

Adaptive Optics

A technology used in telescopes to correct distortions caused by the Earth's atmosphere.

CCD (Charge-Coupled Device)

A detector used in telescopes to convert incoming light into electrical signals for digital imaging.

Functions of a Telescope

The four main functions of telescopes: forming an image, gathering light, seeing fine detail, and magnifying.

NASA’s Great Observatories

A set of four space telescopes: Spitzer, Hubble, Chandra, and Compton, designed to observe different wavelengths of light.