Suurendusvõimsust

Suurendusvõimsust, often translated as magnification power or simply magnification, refers to the ability of an optical instrument to make an object appear larger than it is to the naked eye. It is a fundamental characteristic of devices like telescopes, microscopes, binoculars, and cameras. Magnification is typically expressed as a dimensionless number, indicating how many times larger an object appears.

The magnification of a simple lens or a compound optical system is determined by the focal lengths of its constituent lenses. For a single lens, magnification is the ratio of the image distance to the object distance. In more complex instruments, it is often the ratio of the focal length of the objective lens (or primary mirror) to the focal length of the eyepiece. For instance, a telescope with an objective focal length of 1000 mm and an eyepiece focal length of 25 mm will have a magnification of 1000/25 = 40x.

Higher magnification allows for the observation of finer details that would otherwise be invisible. However, simply increasing magnification does not guarantee a better image. Resolving power, the ability to distinguish between two closely spaced objects, is also crucial. Excessive magnification without sufficient resolving power can lead to an image that appears larger but blurry and lacks detail, a phenomenon known as empty magnification. Therefore, the practical usefulness of magnification is limited by the instrument's optical quality and the prevailing environmental conditions, such as atmospheric turbulence for astronomical observation.