Well the name of the game in telescopes is to collect as much light as possible. The more light you capture and concentrated the better and clearer the image. Multi-segment telescopes are designed to capture larges amount of light ad different optimal angles and channel them to a central focal point. Parabolic mirrors work efficiently at this naturally. However they are expensive and difficult to make properly, especially at large sizes. So having a multi-section mirror is cheaper and allows for a greater light concentration.
Hope this helps
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Refracting telescopes suffer from chromatic aberration, refracting telescopes have several surfaces to shape and polish, making large glass lenses without interior defects is very difficult, and large glass lenses are more difficult to support than large mirrors.
It is generally more challenging to produce large mirrors for telescopes compared to large lenses because mirrors need to be ground and polished to a very high precision to avoid distortions and aberrations in the images produced. Lenses can also suffer from similar issues, but the methods to correct them are different and often less complex. Additionally, mirrors are usually easier to support and maintain their shape compared to large lenses.
Astronomers can address issues with Earth-based telescopes by using adaptive optics to correct for atmospheric distortion, selecting observing sites at high altitudes or in deserts with stable air, and designing telescopes with larger mirrors to gather more light and improve image resolution. Additionally, they can employ techniques like interferometry to combine light from multiple telescopes for enhanced resolution.
It is cheaper and easier to create mirrors rather than lenses. Large lenses become difficult to support the larger they become. Additionally, mirrored telescopes fold light waves so that a telescope can be shorter, the same size telescopes with lenses are greater in length.
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Refracting telescopes suffer from chromatic aberration, refracting telescopes have several surfaces to shape and polish, making large glass lenses without interior defects is very difficult, and large glass lenses are more difficult to support than large mirrors.
One advantage of reflecting telescopes is that the mirrors can be very big. Large mirrors allow reflecting telescopes to gather more light than refracting telescopes do. Another advantage is that curved mirrors are polished on their curved side, which prevents light from entering the glass. Thus any flaws in the glass do not affect the light. A third advantage is that mirrors can focus all colors of light to the same focal point. Therefore, reflecting telescopes allow all colors of light from an object to be seen in focus at the same time.
It is generally more challenging to produce large mirrors for telescopes compared to large lenses because mirrors need to be ground and polished to a very high precision to avoid distortions and aberrations in the images produced. Lenses can also suffer from similar issues, but the methods to correct them are different and often less complex. Additionally, mirrors are usually easier to support and maintain their shape compared to large lenses.
Mirrors can be manufactured in various sizes depending on the requirements and limitations of the production process. Large mirrors can be several meters in diameter and are typically used for telescopes, solar concentrators, and architectural purposes. The largest mirrors, such as those used in telescopes, can be over 8 meters in diameter.
One advantage of reflecting telescopes is that the mirrors can be very big. Large mirrors allow reflecting telescopes to gather more light than refracting telescopes do. Another advantage is that curved mirrors are polished on their curved side, which prevents light from entering the glass. Thus any flaws in the glass do not affect the light. A third advantage is that mirrors can focus all colors of light to the same focal point. Therefore, reflecting telescopes allow all colors of light from an object to be seen in focus at the same time.
Astronomers can address issues with Earth-based telescopes by using adaptive optics to correct for atmospheric distortion, selecting observing sites at high altitudes or in deserts with stable air, and designing telescopes with larger mirrors to gather more light and improve image resolution. Additionally, they can employ techniques like interferometry to combine light from multiple telescopes for enhanced resolution.
One advantage of reflecting telescopes is that the mirrors can be very big. Large mirrors allow reflecting telescopes to gather more light than refracting telescopes do. Another advantage is that curved mirrors are polished on their curved side, which prevents light from entering the glass. Thus any flaws in the glass do not affect the light. A third advantage is that mirrors can focus all colors of light to the same focal point. Therefore, reflecting telescopes allow all colors of light from an object to be seen in focus at the same time.
It is cheaper and easier to create mirrors rather than lenses. Large lenses become difficult to support the larger they become. Additionally, mirrored telescopes fold light waves so that a telescope can be shorter, the same size telescopes with lenses are greater in length.
Very large telescopes use mirrors to gather more light and focus it in one spot. These mirrors are designed to have a larger surface area to capture more incoming light, and they are shaped precisely to concentrate the light to a single point where the image is formed or captured by a detector.
Refracting telescopes tend to be more top heavy than reflecting telescopes because the lens at the front of the telescope, which is used to gather light, can be heavier than the mirrors used in reflecting telescopes. This imbalance can make refracting telescopes more prone to tipping if not properly balanced or supported.
The Multiple Mirror Telescope (MMT) was the first telescope to use a honeycomb pattern of smaller mirrors to create the effect of a larger mirror. This design helped to minimize some of the difficulties associated with manufacturing and maintaining large, single-piece mirrors.