Telescopes

A refracting telescope has two basic parts—an objective lens that gathers the light and a smaller lens at the focal point that acts as the eyepiece to magnify the image. Variations on this basic design can be of a more complex nature for specialized uses.

A modern reflecting telescope has two major parts—the primary mirror and a secondary mirror. There are many variations to this seemingly simple design however, and it took centuries for the design to be perfected.

The largest single-aperture optical telescope telescope designed to study black holes and early big bang cosmology. Built with funds from Spain, Mexico, and the University of Florida, it is situated in the Canary Islands.

Why taking a look at the history of radio astronomy is worth your time. From its humble beginnings in Wall Twp. New Jersey, to the major discoveries that have helped unravel the mysteries of the universe, radio astronomy and its technology have change all our lives for the better.

The LBT is unique astronomical instrument in that it uses two 8.4 m (27.6 ft) primary mirrors with the resolving power equivalent to a larger telescope with a mirror 22.8 m (74.8 ft) in diameter! The LBT may provide us with the direct observations of extrasolar planets!

What is the best beginner telescope available to amateur astronomers? Learn your options and how to choose the best telescope to observe the wonders of the night sky.

NASA’s Kepler Mission is designed to detect habitable Earth-sized planets. Want to know more about its history, objectives, spacecraft design and mission discoveries? Read on...

Would you like to share your enthusiasm for studying the cosmos with others? Star gazing parties are happening all over the world and they're a great place to observe the sky, play games and meet neophyte astronomers and the pro's alike! Who ever said science lovers are boring?

You won't see what you see in Hubble images in a small telescope. Here is what you will see, and why. And why it's still exciting to peer through a small telescope.

Telescope makers struggled with lenses for 200 years, then finally were able to make large refractors by the end of the 19th century. Then as the 19th century came to a close, they reached the limit of refractor size. It took several years for them to learn to make large reflectors.