Abstract
The earth’s surface and the uni, the verse is composed of many phenomena and celestial bodies such as the stars, constellations, planets just to mention but a few. The study of these celestial bodies and phenomena is defined as astronomy.
Among the various equipment used in the study are the telescopes. The telescope is an instrument that has been designed to enable observation of the celestial bodies from a far distance. It does this with the aid of electromagnetic radiation (Penston 1).
Through the close observation of the bodies, it is easier to learn and view their characteristics and behavior. The telescope is thus useful in astronomy.
Importance of Telescopes in Astronomy
Astronomy is a natural science divided into various disciplines such as planetary science, stellar astronomy, and cosmology among others depending on the study objects (Astronomy Technology Today 1).
However, it all revolves around the study of celestial bodies and other phenomena on the universe and earth. The telescope makes the study of these bodies easier. The first telescope was manufactured in the Netherlands in the seventeenth century.
The telescope uses electromagnetic radiation to view distanced objects by bringing them closer for study and observation. Telescopes are divided into two depending on the mode of light transmission (Rayment 1). There are the refractor telescopes whose objective lenses are made of glass.
The glass is therefore responsible for gathering and concentrating the light rays. It has the advantage of producing steady and very sharp images as compared to the reflector telescope. The other advantage is that the glass is seldom cleaned since it rarely develops any dirt as it is enclosed.
However, the refractor telescope has the disadvantage of sagging due to weight hence may give a false image. The glass material does not allow penetration of ultraviolet light making it limited to specific types of light waves.
A major problem affecting the refractor telescopes is a chromatic aberration or otherwise color distortion which means that the resulting image is formed surrounded by a rainbow of colors thus distorting it.
The other type of a telescope is the reflector type whose objective lens is made of mirror. It uses the principle of reflection such that once light strikes on the mirror surface, it is reflected producing an image (Halliday, 4).
This telescope has the advantage of producing larger images than those formed by a refracting telescope. In addition to the types above of telescopes, there is the radio telescope which is used primarily for objects that cannot emit or reflect adequate light for them to be viewed.
It, therefore, uses radio waves to detect and observe the object. The waves on detection are sent back as signals, and after being processed, they generate images that describe the viewed object. A good example of a modified edition of a radio telescope is the common satellite dish.
The telescopes are further classified into various types depending on their location. Thus there is space telescope found in the space or the atmosphere and the ground telescope that is fixed on the surface of the earth.
The modern technology has also led to the invention of specific telescopes designed to study defined objects depending on the types of waves used.
These classifications include; optical telescopes, X-ray telescopes, Gamma-ray telescopes, radio telescopes, high energy particle telescopes, and the gravitational wave telescope.
Despite its importance in astronomy, the telescope has been replaced by the spacecraft which is more advanced technologically.
Works cited
Astronomy Technology Today. Your Complete Guide to Astronomical Equipment. 2011. Web.
Halliday, David. Fundamentals of Physics. Sixth Edition, New York. Wiley Inc, 2004. Print.
Penston, M. The electromagnetic spectrum-Particle Physics and Astronomy Research Council. 2002. Web.
Rayment, W. All about Telescopes. 2005. Web.