- Astronomers use telescopes to gather light and thereby make dim objects observable.
- The larger the diameter of the lens or mirror used in a telescope:
- The greater its ability to gather light
- The finer the detail that the instrument will show
- The Earth’s atmosphere interferes seriously with observing.
- It absorbs and totally blocks many wavelengths.
- It blurs details.
- Astronomers use special-purpose telescopes to observe nonvisible wavelengths. Many of these are in orbit, so they are not affected by blurring or atmospheric absorption.
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