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REFRACTOR TELESCOPES

Refracting Telescopes

The first scopes made were refractors. These are the telescopes with a magnifiing lense on one end and a eye piece in the other. Thats not all of it but that is what they look like<G> Galileao used a refractor in the 17th century to watch the stars and the planets. Pirates are the most famous for the use of a portable refractor type scope that would extend and compress for better portabllity.

Refractors tend to have a much better picture of the object they are focused on. Mostly because they are a more simple design. No obstructions and no mirrors to bounce off. Depending on who does the grinding and what type of glass is used the refractor will be the cleanest view of most scopes that you or I will look through. The draw back of refractor telescope is they are apperture limited because of edge thickness of the lense and glass sagging in the larger pieces. I believe the largest refractor in use today is around 40 inches at the Yerkes Observatory...fairly small compared to the large reflector telescopes out there like the Suburu in Hawaii that is 8.2 meters! Thats 27 feet of apperture!

This Nick with a six inch refractor on an equitorial mount. A great visual and photo scope. Set up for a star party in BalBoa Park, San Diego.

Here is a great article on Refractor Type Telescopes

Jose with another refractor on equitorial mount

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