ASTRONOMICAL TELESCOPE

(ii) When the final image is formed at D

The parallel beam of light coming from the distant object falls on the objective. The objective
focuses the beam in its focal plane and forms a real, inverted and diminished image A’B’.
This image acts as an object for the eyepiece. The distance of the eyepiece is so adjusted that
the image A’B’ lies within the focal length. The eyepiece magnifies this image so that final
image A”B” is magnified and inverted with respect to the object. The final image is formed at
D.

Magnifying Power
If the final image is at least distance of distinct vision, then the telescope is said to be
in near point adjustment.

For this case , magnifying power , m = -

fo
fe [1 + ]
fe
D

For large magnifying power, f o >>> f e

FEATURES OF ASTRONOMICAL TELESCOPE

1. For higher magnifying power f o ≫ f e .

2. For higher resolving power , the diameter of the objective D

D
should be large since resolving power of telescope, R.P = 1.22λ
.

3. For higher light gathering power and hence brightness of the

image, the area of the objective should be larger since,
πD2
Light gathering power ∝ 4

where D = diameter of the objective.

NOTE:
Brightness ratio of a telescope is the ratio of light gathered by the telescope to the light
gathered by unaided eye.
⌅D2
4 D2
Brightness ratio =​
⌅d2
= d2
4

where d is the diameter of the eye lens