What Are Telescopes and How Do They Work?

Telescopes are like windows into the cosmos. We can study the solar system and see star conjunctions with telescopes. Not only that, but telescopes help us become more familiar with the various planets, galaxies, satellites, and asteroids that we only see in books and periodicals. They serve as a means of bridging the gap between humans and the rest of the universe. We owe everything to the telescopes because the universe is no longer a mystery that resides beyond our reach.

Modern telescopes come with a plethora of attachments, and it is with the help of these accessories that it becomes much easier to put the telescopes to their right use. Let's have a look at some of the most important accessories that work well with telescopes and are considered "must-haves" by most telescope users: -

Filters are highly important for telescope users because they reduce glare on the eyepiece and scatter the light, making it easier for us to see distant things.

The eyepiece is a critical component of a telescope, and its absence can render it worthless. Eyepieces come in a range of sizes, and if you add more than one to your telescope, you'll be able to see even the tiniest and faraway objects in crystal clarity.

Telescope mounts are the stands that hold telescopes in place. It's a piece of equipment that holds the telescope in place. Because a telescope will not perform well in the presence of vibrations, it should be mounted on a stable mount.

A Barlow lens is used to increase the magnification of telescopes. These lenses come in a variety of sizes, and we must carefully select the one that best suits the eyepiece.

There are two main types of telescopes, the refractor (Galileo) telescopes and the reflector (Newton) telescopes. The refractor telescope uses an objective lens that bends the light towards the eyepiece. While the reflector telescope uses a mirror, which collects the light and then directs it towards the eyepiece.

Though both the refractors as well as the reflector telescopes are easily available in the market we should take the following points into consideration before buying a telescope.