whats the diffrence between reflecting and refracting telescopes and which ones better?

Answer 1

A refractor uses lenses to collect light and help magnify it. Most people think of refractors when they think of a telescope. With a refractor, you look through the back of the telescope.

Reflectors use mirrors to collect light and help magnify it. They have a large concave primary mirror in the back that acts like a satellite dish to collect light and direct it to a small, flat, tilted secondary mirror near the front. In most desigs, the eyepiece is mounted in the side of the tube near the front.

You can learn more about reflectors, refractors, and other telescopes here:

http://members.aol.com/siriusbc/telescopes.htm

Which one is better?

Well in most cases, the short answer is, a reflector. But it's really more complicated than that.

Refractors use lenses, and lenses suffer from a phenomena called chromatic aberration. It will not focus all the light to the same point. To fix this problem, a refractor must use more than one lens. These refractors are called apochromatic refractors. But lenses are difficult and expensive to make so apochromatic refractors are very expensive to buy. The larger the diameter of the lens or mirror in a telescope, the more light it can collect and the more things you can see. But large lenses are very difficult to make and very very expensive, so most refractors are small. This makes them inappropriate for deep space viewing.

Reflectors use mirrors so they don't suffer from chromatic aberration, and mirrors are cheap and easy to make so most large telescopes are reflectors. Because of the design that a reflector must have, stars, as seen through a reflector, often have diffraction spikes. These are the "points" that most people are used to seeing in images of stars. Also, because of the design, the secondary mirror in a reflector blocks some of the light from entering the telescope. As a result, a refractor of the same size will collect more light.

Generally speaking, a reflector is better for deep space objects and a refractor, if it's apochromatic and of a decent size, will do better on star clusters and planets.

Answer 2

One reflects light and the other one bends light. I prefer refracting but it depends on the application. There are some telescopes that are both.

I have a reflecting telescope that was about $250 and it is fine for seeing the craters on the Moon and things orbiting the Earth but it's not much good for anything else.

Answer 3

Inch-for-inch, high-quality refractors are better. Most telescopes under about 110mm in aperture are refractors. An apochromatic refractor (one made with special glass to eliminate chromatic aberration) will outperform a reflector of the same size.

But reflectors have the advantage in size and cost. A 12" reflector costs and weighs less than a 6" refractor, so almost all larger amateur telescopes are reflectors. For professional astronomy, all large telescopes are reflectors - you flat-out can't make refractors that big.

Answer 4

Refracting telescopes don't use mirrors, and are good for looking at planets and the moon. Reflecting telescopes use large light-gathering mirrors and are good at looking at dimmer celestial objects, but can be used to look at the moon or planets as well. Both can be used for terrestial purposes as well, like bird watching, but you might get an upside down image with an astronomical reflector telescope.

Answer 5

The difference has already been pointed out.

I had a 9" Schmidt-Cassegrains.

I needed to take it out early to get my telescope accommodated. If you take your telescope out and use it right away (especially during winter) your telescope will steam up because the temperature difference between the air and the mirrors. (Just like the mirrors in your bathroom.)

Once the temperature of the telescope is about the same as the air temperature, you get a clear image.
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Answer 6

Refractors use clear lenses which the light passes through, reflectors use silvered mirrors that the light bounces off from, although even a reflector will use a refracting eyepiece.

Reflectors are easier to make and so are cheaper. They also do not have chromatic aberration, or color error. They can also focus light that cannot pass through glass, like ultra violet or infrared.

Answer 7

The refracting telescope uses solely an arrangement of lenses.
The reflecting telescope uses solely an arrangement of mirrors.

And there is also the catadioptric telescope which uses a combination of mirrors and lenses.

Answer 8

Refractors are good magnifiers.
Reflectors are good light collectors.

There are some good hybrids (e.g. Schmidt - Cassegrains) You need to decide what you want to study to make the best decision.