Introduction

An astronomical telescope is an optical

instrument designed to collect and focus light
from distant celestial objects, such as stars,
planets, galaxies, and other astronomical
entities. Telescopes allow us to study the
universe in various wavelengths, from visible
light to radio waves, infrared radiation,
ultraviolet radiation, X-rays, and even gamma
rays.

Types of Astronomical Telescopes:

1. *Optical Telescopes*: Use lenses or mirrors to

collect and focus visible light.
2. *Radio Telescopes*: Use antennas or dishes to
collect and focus radio waves.
3. *Infrared Telescopes*: Use specialized detectors
to collect and focus infrared radiation.
4. *Ultraviolet Telescopes*: Use specialized
detectors to collect and focus ultraviolet
radiation.
5. *X-ray Telescopes*: Use specialized detectors to
collect and focus X-rays.
6. *Gamma-ray Telescopes*: Use specialized
detectors to collect and focus gamma rays.
7. *Space Telescopes*: Orbits around the Earth or
other celestial bodies to collect data in various
wavelengths.
8. *Robotic Telescopes*: Automated telescopes
that can be controlled remotely.
 Key Components of Astronomical
Telescopes:

1. *Primary Mirror or Lens*: Collects and

focuses ligh
2. *Secondary Mirror or Lens*: Further
focuses light
3. *Eyepiece*: Magnifies the focused light for
observation
4. *Mount*: Supports the telescope and
allows for movement
5. *Control System*: Regulates the telescope's
movement and data collection

Astronomical telescopes have greatly expanded our

understanding of the universe, enabling us to study
celestial objects, events, and phenomena in
unprecedented detailKey Components of
Astronomical Telescope

Astronomical telescopes have greatly expanded our understanding of the universe,

enabling us to study celestial objects, events, and phenomena in unprecedented
detail....t.s:....t.d detail
 Telescope

The telescope is used to provide

angular magnification of distant
objects (Fig. ). It also has an objective
and an eyepiece. But here, the objective
has a large focal length and a much
larger aperture than the eyepiece.
Light from a distant object enters the
objective and a real image is formed in
the tube at its second focal point. The
eyepiece magnifies this image producing
a final inverted image. The magnifying
power m is the ratio of
the angle b subtended at the eye by the
final image to the angle a which
the object subtends at the lens or the
eye.
 In this case, the length of
the telescope tube is f+ f.
o e
Terrestrial telescopes have, in addition, a pair of
inverting lenses to make the final image erect.
Refracting telescopes can be used both for
terrestrial and astronomical observations. For
example, consider a telescope whose objective has
a focal length of 100 cm and the eyepiece a focal
length of 1 cm. The magnifying power of this
telescope is m = 100/1 = 100.
Let us consider a pair of stars of actual
separation 1¢ (one minute of arc). The stars
appear as though they are separated by an
angle of 100 × 1¢ = 100¢ =1.67°.
FIGURE A refracting telescope.

The main considerations with an

astronomical telescope are its light
gathering power and its resolution or
resolving power. The former clearly
depends on the area of the objective. With
larger diameters, fainter objects can be
observed. The resolving power, or the
ability to observe two objects distinctly,
which are in very nearly the same
direction, also depends on the diameter
of the objective. So, the desirable aim in
optical telescopes is to make them with
objective of large diameter. The largest
lens objective in use has a diameter of 40
inch (~1.02 m). It is at the Yerkes
Observatory in Wisconsin, USA. Such big
lenses tend to be very heavy and
therefore, difficult to make and support
by their edges. Further, it is rather
difficult and expensive to make such
large sized lenses which form images that
are free from any kind of chromatic
aberration and distortions.
For these reasons, modern telescopes use
a concave mirror rather than a lens
for the objective. Telescopes with mirror
objectives are called reflecting
telescopes. There is no chromatic
aberration in a mirror. Mechanical
support is much less of a problem since a
mirror weighs much less than a lens of
equivalent optical quality, and can be
supported over its entire back surface,
not just over its rim. One obvious
problem with a reflecting telescope is
that the objective mirror focusses light
inside

FIGURE Schematic diagram of a reflecting

telescope (Cassegrain).
the telescope tube. One must have an
eyepiece and the observer right there,
obstructing some light (depending on the
size of the observer cage). This is what is
done in the very large 200 inch (~5.08 m)
diameters, Mt. Palomar telescope,
California. The viewer sits near the focal
point of the mirror, in a small cage.
Another solution to the problem is to
deflect the light being focussed by
another mirror. One such arrangement
using a convex secondary mirror to
focus the incident light, which now passes
through a hole in the objective primary
mirror, is shown in Fig. 9.26. This is known
as a Cassegrain telescope, after its
inventor. It has the advantages of a large
focal length in a short telescope. The
largest telescope in India is in Kavalur,
Tamil Nadu. It is a 2.34 m diameter
reflecting telescope (Cassegrain). It was
ground, polished, set up, and is being used
by the Indian Institute of Astrophysics,
Bangalore. The largest reflecting
telescopes in the world are the pair of
Keck telescopes in Hawaii, USA, with a
reflector of 10 metre in diameter.
 Derivation

It consists of two converging lenses placed

coaxially. The one facing the distant object is called
the objective and has a large aperture and a large
focal length. The other is called the eyepiece, as the
eye is placed close to it. It has a smaller aperture and
a smaller focal length. The lenses are fixed in tubes.
The eyepiece tube can slide within the objective tube so
that the separation between the objective and the
eyepiece may be changed.
Application of astronomical telescope

Astronomical telescopes have numerous

applications in various fields:

*Astronomical Research*

1. *Studying celestial objects*: Telescopes help

astronomers study stars, galaxies, planets,
asteroids, comets, and other celestial objects.
2. *Understanding the universe*: Telescopes aid
in understanding the universe's origin,
evolution, and fate.
3. *Cosmology*: Telescopes help study the
large-scale structure of the universe, dark
matter, and dark energy.

*Planetary Exploration*

1. *Planetary science*: Telescopes help study

planets, moons, asteroids, and comets in our
solar system.
2. *Exoplanet detection*: Telescopes aid in
discovering exoplanets and studying their
properties.
3. *Space mission planning*: Telescopes provide
crucial data for planning space missions.

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 Astrophysics and Space Weather*

1. *Studying solar activity*: Telescopes help

monitor solar flares, coronal mass ejections,
and other solar activity.
2. *Space weather forecasting*: Telescopes aid
in predicting space weather events that can
impact Earth's magnetic field and upper
atmosphere.
3. *Astrophysical research*: Telescopes help
study astrophysical phenomena, such as
supernovae, black holes, and neutron stars.

*Education and Outreach*

1. *Astronomy education*: Telescopes are used

in educational institutions to teach astronomy
and astrophysics.
2. *Public outreach*: Telescopes are used in
public observatories and planetariums to
promote astronomy awareness and
education.

*
 Other Applications

1. *Military and defense*:

Telescopes are used in military
and defense applications, such as
surveillance and missile
guidance.
2. *Environmental monitoring*:
Telescopes can be used to
monitor environmental changes,
such as deforestation and ocean
pollution.
3. *Technological innovation*:
Telescopes drive technological
innovation, leading to
advancements in fields like
optics, materials science, and
computer science.

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 Conclusion
The study of telescopes in this project has provided
a comprehensive understanding of their
construction, working principles, and applications.
Telescopes are powerful optical instruments that
gather and magnify light to observe distant objects,
playing a vital role in fields like astronomy and
terrestrial observation. Through this project, we
explored the two primary types of telescopes—
refracting and reflecting—and examined their
advantages, limitations, and advancements in
design.

The practical experiments and research helped us

understand concepts such as magnification,
resolution, and focal length, as well as the
importance of precision in optical alignment. This
project emphasized how telescopes have
revolutionized our knowledge of the universe,
enabling discoveries about stars, planets, galaxies,
and other celestial phenomena. It also highlighted
the ongoing advancements in telescope technology,
such as space telescopes, which continue to push the
boundaries of human exploration. Overall, this
project enriched our understanding of optics and
the significant impact of telescopes on science and
humanity

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