When you enter into any new area of science, you almost always find yourself with a baffling new language of technical terms to learn before you can converse with the experts. This is certainly true in astronomy both in terms of terms that refer to the cosmos and terms that describe the tools of the trade, the most prevalent being the telescope. So to get us off of first base, let’s define some of the key terms that pertain to telescopes to help you be able to talk to them more intelligently.
The first area of specialization in telescopes has to do with the types of telescopes people use. The three designs of telescopes that most people use are the Refractor, the Reflector and the Schmidt Cassegrain telescope.
When you enter into any new area of science, you almost always find yourself with a baffling new language of technical terms to learn before you can converse with the experts. This is certainly true in astronomy both in terms of terms that refer to the cosmos and terms that describe the tools of the trade, the most prevalent being the telescope. So to get us off of first base, let’s define some of the key terms that pertain to telescopes to help you be able to talk to them more intelligently. The first area of specialization in telescopes has to do with the types of telescopes people use. The three designs of telescopes that most people use are the Refractor, the Reflector and the Schmidt Cassegrain telescope. * A refracting telescope uses a convex lens to focus light into an eyepiece. * Reflective telescopes have a concave lens that bends inward. It uses a mirror to focus the image you see. * The Schmidt-Casegrain telescope uses a complex system of mirrors to capture the image you want to see. * The binocular telescope allows you to see the sky in 3D using a set of installed and synchronized telescopes. In addition to basic types, other terms refer to parts of a telescope or the science of how telescopes work. * Collimation is a term for how well the telescope has been calibrated to give you a nice, clear picture of what you're seeing. You want the telescope to have good collimation so you don't get a false image of the celestial body. * Aperture is a fancy word for the size of a telescope lens. However, this is an important word because the aperture of the lens is the key to the performance of the telescope. The increase has nothing to do with it, it is about the aperture. * The focusing mechanism is the body that holds the telescope's eyepiece. To get a reliable image, the focus must be stable and in good condition. * Fixed and wedged. These two terms refer to the tripod on which the telescope rests. The mount is a real tripod and the wedge is the device that allows you to attach the telescope to the mount. Mounts and wedges are designed to provide excellent visibility and prevent expensive telescopes from falling. * The Altazimuth mount represents a telescopic tripod that holds the device in place and makes it useful while observing the stars. Elevation Azimuth allows the telescope to move in the horizontal (azimuth) and vertical directions. This will give you full coverage where you can see things close to the horizon or directly overhead. * It's good that coma has a different meaning than what we know. A coma is a blurry area on the outer edge of your field of view that you can see through a telescope. The size of the coma and the degree to which it interferes with vision are important to the effectiveness of the telescope. * Planisphere. A cool word for a star map. It's just a detailed map of where everything in the universe is and how to get rid of known stars to find the star you want to study. * Barlow. This is a special type of lens that you can purchase to increase the magnification of your telescope. These are just some of the basic operating principles of a telescope. We've specially selected what you need to know to reasonably discuss telescopes. However, your training in the more advanced aspects of astronomy, the design and operation of telescopes, will continue as long as you love astronomy and hopefully for the rest of your life.
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