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.
