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Chapter 6: Problem 10

Explain some of the disadvantages of refracting telescopes compared to reflecting telescopes.

Short Answer

Expert verified
Some of the disadvantages of refracting telescopes, when compared to reflecting telescopes, include chromatic aberration, increased size and weight, and cost-ineffectiveness due to the types of materials and their construction.

Step by step solution

01

Understanding Refracting Telescopes

Refracting telescopes operate by using two lenses to bend (or refract) light to create an image. The main lens, the larger one at the front, is called the 'objective lens', and the smaller one, closer to the eye, is called the 'eyepiece'.
02

Disadvantage 1: Chromatic Aberration

Refracting telescopes can cause chromatic aberration, an optical phenomenon where the lens doesn't refract all colours to the same point. This leads to 'rainbow' effects around observed images, thereby reducing viewing quality.
03

Disadvantage 2: Size and Weight

Refracting telescopes can be significantly larger and heavier than reflecting telescopes. The objective lens can only be held at the edges, leading to limitations on size. Additionally, the lens material needs to be flawless, often necessitating thicker, heavier lenses.
04

Disadvantage 3: Cost-effectiveness

Because of their construction requirements—large, flawless lenses that are held only at the edges—refracting telescopes are generally more expensive to produce than reflecting telescopes, which use mirrors that can be supported across their entire back surface.

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Most popular questions from this chapter

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