Teleskops

Teleskops are instruments designed to collect and magnify electromagnetic radiation from distant objects, making them accessible to human observation and measurement. They increase light gathering power and angular resolution, enabling study of features too faint or small to see with the naked eye. Telescopes are used across wavelengths, from visible light to radio and beyond.

In optical astronomy, major designs include refractors (lenses), reflectors (mirrors), and catadioptric systems that combine both. The primary specifications are aperture (the collecting diameter) and focal length, which determine brightness and magnification. A telescope comprises an objective element, focusing optics, and a mount that supports movement and tracking. Detectors or eyepieces convert the collected light into images or spectra.

The earliest practical telescopes appeared in the early 17th century in Europe. Galileo Galilei popularized their use for astronomy, while Isaac Newton developed the reflecting telescope to reduce chromatic aberration. Since then, designs have grown in aperture, with advances in coatings, mount mechanics, and adaptive optics, expanding observational capabilities across the electromagnetic spectrum.

Modern astronomy includes space-based telescopes that operate above Earth’s atmosphere, avoiding turbulence and absorption, such as the Hubble Space Telescope and the James Webb Space Telescope. Ground-based facilities use large arrays, radio interferometry, and adaptive optics to achieve high resolution, sometimes by combining signals from many individual telescopes.

Teleskops support professional research and amateur observation, education, and public outreach. They enable studies of planets, stars, galaxies, and cosmology, as well as transient events. The field continues to evolve with larger apertures, more sensitive detectors, and new observing techniques.