Which type of telescope is most similar to an optical telescope?

Answer 1

All of the large optical telescopes built during the past century have been reflectors. I live not too far from the 40-inch Alvan Clark refractor at Yerkes Observatory in Wisconsin. It was built in 1897 and it's the largest refractor used for scientific research.

Answer 2

No. The Hubble Space Telescope is an optical telescope of the reflective type. A 'non optical' telescope would be one that works on different portions of the electromagnetic spectrum below or above the optical wavelengths.

Answer 3

Most astronomical telescopes are reflecting telescopes. I think the Lick Observatory telescope near San Jose, CA, may be the largest (remaining?) refracting telescope still in common use.

Reflecting telescopes have some enormous advantages over refractors, and the word "enormous" is used intentionally. A reflecting telescope is much more compact, in that the optical path is "folded" in on itself, making it possible to build much larger telescopes.

Also, mirrors are more effective than lenses; nearly 100% of the light hitting a mirror can be reflected, while lenses will absorb some small fraction of the incoming light.

Answer 4

All visual light spectrum telescopes use lenses to work, mostly in the eyepiece, but "Refractive" telescopes use a series of lenses in unison to bend and focus light. The other two main types of telescopes are a "Reflective" telescope which uses a main curved mirror to focus light to another angled mirror and then to the eyepiece, and a "Catadioptric" telescope which still uses mirrors to reflect and focus the light, but also uses a lens to correct for aberration and in such a way that the tubes can be shorter. Schmidt-Cassegrain and Maksutov-Cassegrain telescopes are the most common types of "Catadioptric" telescopes.

As for using a single lens as the main optical element, this can be done, but makes for a terrible view because of chromatic aberration. Basically, this means that a single convex lens (like that of a magnifying glass) acts like a prism and, therefore breaks light up into the seven main colors. These colors will have different focal points due to their different wavelengths, so you would end up with an object (such as the moon) with a blurry halo around it of multiple colors. To correct this, the use of a stabilizing concave lens, with a thin air gap between, is sandwiched to the convex lens. This has the effect of the chromatic aberration from both canceling each other out. Like opposites. The result is a much clearer and more focused object projected to the eyepiece. Simple "department-store" telescopes usually only have this single sandwiched set of lenses and an eyepiece. The better quality telescopes, sometimes known as "Apochromatic" telescopes have as many as eight, or more, elements making for a very sharply detailed and clear object.

For a short answer to what type of telescope I believe you're referring to in your question: "Refractive" or "Refraction" or "Refractor" telescopes use lenses as the main optical elements.

Answer 5

A non-optical telescope is one that does not use visible light. Non-optical telescopes include: * radio telescopes * x-ray telescopes * ultraviolet telescopes * infra-red telescopes With the exception of radio telescopes, which were developed before the ability to launch satellites was much advanced, most of these devices are placed in orbit to get them above interference from the Earth's atmosphere.

Answer 6

To view, radio waves, infra-red waves, ultraviolet rays, X-rays and Gamma rays.

Answer 7

non-optical telescope detect radition that cannot be seen by human eye.

Answer 8

The Hubble Space Telescope is in orbit around the Earth.

Answer 9

The Hubble Space telescope is a reflecting telescope.

Answer 10

It orbits Earth. According to Wikipedia, 559 km above Earth's surface.