How Astronomy Telescopes Work

In the modern age of space exploration, there are so many ways to discover the universe. Although spacecrafts and rocket ships are being constantly sent to study outer space, perhaps the more conventional (and not to mention safe!) way of exploring the world ‘out there’ is by using telescopes. This was how Galileo, Copernicus and all those other astronomers, studied and made records of the heavenly bodies.

For a better view of what can be seen in outer space, you will need to set up a big telescope. The rule is simple, the bigger the telescope gets, the better the view becomes. Telescopes work as magnifiers of small objects, or objects that are too far from the observer. There are three classifications for telescopes: the refractor telescope, the reflector telescope and the compound telescope. Basing on their names, when an image is refracted, the light is gathered at a certain focal point (remember that magnifying lens burning a piece of paper?) and this makes your naked eyes see an object that can be miles away.

Reflector telescopes (catoptric telescopes), thanks to Sir Isaac Newton, eliminated the appearance of ‘rainbow-like halos’ on refractor telescopes. Using a refractor, Newton got an extra mirror to ‘reflect’ what the refractor gathers. Most of the modern-day telescopes use this same concept. The third type, which is the compound telescope, also called catadioptric telescope, is a combination of both refractors and reflectors.

There are certain designs of telescopes that use radio waves and gamma & x-rays. The Arecibo observatory makes use of radio telescopes that don't have mirrors. The telescope in that observatory uses dishes with holes instead. Telescopes with gamma or x-rays would have to be used in outer space. Our atmospheric conditions won't allow these rays to operate. One known observatory that utilizes x-rays is the Chandra X-ray Observatory. Another famous telescope is the Spitzer Space Telescope. This is used to detect heavenly bodies through the detection of infrared radiation.

From the crudest telescope to our modern day observatories that house the most complex telescopes, we can conclude that astronomy telescopes have gone a long way. From then until now, they remain an indispensable tool in the field of astronomy. With both feet safe on the ground, man can still explore the very space that offers the same mystic wonders that astronomers of old have gaped at.

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