Summary Telescopes

In AQA A-Level Physics, telescopes are discussed primarily under the Astrophysics unit. Key points include: Optical Telescopes: Refracting Telescopes: Use lenses to focus light. They have an objective lens and an eyepiece lens. Limitations include chromatic aberration and practical size constraints. Reflecting Telescopes: Use mirrors to collect and focus light. They avoid chromatic aberration and can be larger, which is beneficial for observing faint objects. Radio Telescopes: Collect radio waves instead of visible light. They use large parabolic dishes to focus radio signals onto a receiver, helping astronomers study cosmic phenomena that emit in the radio spectrum. Telescopic Resolution: The ability to distinguish between two close objects in the field of view, which depends on the wavelength of light used and the diameter of the telescope’s aperture.