Easy Astronomy Blog

Whether you are a beginner or old pro at scanning the stars and planets, you are probably aware that there are different types of telescopes used for star gazing.  If you haven’t guessed already, it is the refracting and reflecting telescopes that reflect the two basic models of telescopes utilized by today’s neophyte and professional star gazers.   Of these two telescopes, the refracting telescope has a history dating back centuries as our ancestors used this type of telescope to explore the heavens.   This telescopes origins can be traced back to the 15th century and is still a very important telescope design in the twenty-first century.  The truth be known, the refractor telescope is one of the oldest telescope designs still in use by today’s astronomers.

The Basics of a Refractor Telescope

The refracting telescope, also known as a refractor telscope, has multiple concave lenses which allow the incoming light to be refracted, resulting in images that are more distinct and greater in size.  These qualities give the appearance that the actual images appear much bigger than viewing with the naked eye.   These refractors gather the incoming light and bend it, allowing you to view objects from a distance.  This magnification is what provides you with the ability to clearly view the stars and night sky. Even though refracting telescopes may have a lot of bells and whistles, the reality is that they are just a series of concave lenses that refract the light.

The Advantages of a Refracting Telescope

This is a well tested and constantly improved design that has endured for centuries.   Throuhout the years, its design was constantly tweaked, resulting in continuous improvement of its design and magnification characteristics.  This was a helpful, providing astronomers with the opportunity to determine the refracting telescope design’s strengths and weaknesses.

It’s well known that the design of the refracting telescope has been improved dramatically since the fifteenth century.  Even with the improvement of refractor technology, it is the size of the refractor telescope that still poses a potential concern.  The need to dramatically increase magnification for astronomical research has resulted in larger and larger lens size.  This can result in the potential for defects or sagging.

The truth is that refracting telescopes have proven themselves across the centuries and, to attest to their value, have remained one of the most popular designs among astronomers.  Regardless of the type of telescope you choose to scan the cosmos, the ongoing use and popularity of the refracting telescope provides assurance that it will be with us for decades to come.

Buying a Refracting Telescope

Your quest to find the ideal refractor telescope at an affordable price can seem like a daunting task.  But what we found was that visiting telescope and astronomy websites that provide telescope user reviews can be very helpful in making your decision.  So, whether you are considering a child telescope or professional model, be sure to do your research and you will be assured of enjoying many hours of star gazing pleasure.