There are three types of telescopes: 1) refractor, 2) reflector, and 3) compound telescopes. While there are some differences, all three designs have the same purpose: to collect light and bring it into focus.

The focused image can be viewed with an eyepiece, camera, or a spectroscope, which breaks the light into colors to see the composition of objects in space. The size of the mirror or lens determines the amount of light the telescope can gather and the clarity of the object seen. The bigger the lens, the sharper the image.
FORWARD
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Curator:
Tom.Benson@grc.nasa.gov
Responsible Official: Kathy.Zona@grc.nasa.gov