BETA
Chapter 1
The birth of looking closer
Chapter 2
Bending and bouncing light
Chapter 3
Beyond the visible rainbow
Chapter 4
Leaving Earth behind
Chapter 5
The global eyes of tomorrow
YOUR GOAL
Master of Everything about the telescope
Ch 2 · Bending and bouncing light
artiteacher Drag lenses to bend light beams to discover how telescopes focus distant starlight.
artiteacher Bending and bouncing light
Eighteen gold mirrors, Catching first light, Stars coming alive!
artiteacher A telescope's aperture determines how much light it can collect to see faint objects.
artiteacher Reflecting telescopes use curved mirrors to bounce light to a focal point.
Fun Fact
Twinkling stars: Stars only twinkle because their light is bent by Earth's moving atmosphere; from outer space, stars shine with a steady, unmoving glow.
Glossary
reflection (noun)
The return of light or sound waves from a surface. Isaac Newton utilized this process in 1668 to build the first telescope using a curved mirror.
The return of light or sound waves from a surface. Isaac Newton utilized this process in 1668 to build the first telescope using a curved mirror.
Quiz
What is the scientific term for the bending of light as it passes from air into glass?
Quiz
If you double the diameter of a telescope's aperture, how much does its light-gathering area increase?
Quiz
What technology uses flexible mirrors to correct atmospheric blurring in real-time?
Quiz
Why are reflecting telescopes preferred over refracting telescopes for very large designs?
Quiz
Where is the primary mirror located in a standard Newtonian reflecting telescope?