Detecting Planets

Question 1

What is refraction?

Answer 1

Refraction is the change in the direction of a wave passing from one medium to another.

Question 2

How does a refracting Telescope work

Answer 2

Refracting telescopes were the first type of telescope and their invention is attributed to a Dutch lensmaker, Hans Lippershey in 1608. They have a curved lens at one end that focuses the light down a long tube towards a second lens, called the eyepiece, which magnifies the image.

Question 3

What were the major problems of the refracting telescope

Answer 3

There are problems with Galileo’s telescope. For example, different colours of light are refracted by different amounts. So the image of an object that emits different colours might not be clear. Instead of using lenses, it is better to produce an image with a curved mirror. This is called a reflecting telescope.

Question 4

How does a reflecting telescope work?

Answer 4

Reflecting telescopes are sometimes called Newtonian telescopes after their inventor Isaac Newton who built the first one in 1668. They use mirrors to collect and focus the light towards the eyepiece. Mirrors are lighter than lenses and they are also easier to shape into a smooth and perfect surface.

Question 5

Reflecting telescopes uses what kind of focus light

Answer 5

Mirrors

Question 6

What does the hubble telescopefocus light with

Answer 6

Reflection