Reflecting Telescopes

Astrophysics Lesson 3

Homework
Collect last homework feedback on
Friday.
Past Paper Question for this Friday.

Learning Objectives
Draw ray diagram to show path of
rays through the telescope as far as
the eyepiece for a Cassegrain
arrangement.
Describe the relative merits of
reflectors and refractors.
Explain qualitatively what is meant
the terms chromatic aberration and
spherical aberration.

Question
In a telescope the eyepiece has a focal
length of 2 cm and the objective has
a focal length of 220 cm.
What is the magnification?
If the moon subtends an angle of 8.8
10-3 rad to the naked eye, what
would the angle be for the image of
the moon observed through the
telescope?
Assuming the Moon is at a distance

Answer
Magnification = fo/fe = 220/2 = 110
Angle subtended by the Moon = 8.8
10-3 rad x 110 = 0.97 rad
D = r = 384,400 km 8.8 10-3
radians = 3382.72 km
So the radius of the Moon = D/2 =
1690 km (3 s.f.)

Summary
Refracting telescopes use
converging lenses
Lenses make images of objects that
can be worked out using Ray
diagrams
Or the lens formula (1/f = 1/u + 1/v)
The telescope consists of two lenses
set at a distance = fo + fe (normal
adjustment)

Disadvantages of
Refractors
They suffer from chromatic
aberration.
Bubbles and impurities in the glass
absorb some of the light, large
lenses are very difficult and
expensive to make.
Large lenses are very heavy and can
only be supported from their
edges so their shape can become
distorted.

Chromatic Aberration
Glass refracts
different colours of
light by different
amounts (blue
more than red).
The principal focus
for each colour will
be in a slightly
different position
and blurs the
overall image.

Concave mirrors can be

used to project a real image

Cassegrain System

Concave primary mirror, convex seconda

Cassegrain Arrangement
In the Cassegrain system, the
eyepiece is at the back of the
telescope. The hole in the centre of
the mirror does not affect the
viewing ability.

Advantages of Reflectors
No chromatic aberration mirrors do
not refract light.
No spherical aberration a parabolic
mirror can be used to give perfect
focusing.
No distortion the mirror can be
supported more strongly.
Better resolving power/greater
brightness mirrors can be larger.
More light gets through (brighter
image) - a lens absorbs more light.

Spherical Aberration
The shape of the
mirror must be
parabolic to ensure
that parallel rays
converge at the
same point.
If it isnt quite
parabolic the rays
dont converge and
the image is
blurred spherical
aberration.

Questions
Suggest reasons for the following:
(a) The silvering on a telescope
mirror is on the top surface.
(b) The hole in the centre of the
mirror of the Cassegrain system
does not affect the viewing ability of
the instrument.

Answer
(a) The light does not have to pass
through glass, so will not suffer any
chromatic aberration. All colours
are reflected by the same amount.
(b) The region lost by the presence
of the secondary mirror is
insignificant. It would not matter if
the dead space caused by the
secondary mirror were removed.

Reflectors (further
notes)
All large telescopes use the
reflecting system.
The largest telescope in the world
has a 5 metre diameter concave
mirror which requires many tonnes
of glass, a considerable cooling time,
and many hundred of hours of
grinding to get it to a perfect shape.
It was silvered with a few grams of
aluminium.