How is aperture measured?Is it the opening of the telescope or the size of the mirror,or should they be the same size?
2007-09-06 15:02:36 · 6 answers · asked by Anonymous in Science & Mathematics ➔ Astronomy & Space
The aperture is the measure of the size of the lens in a refractor, or the mirror in a reflector.
2007-09-06 15:29:41 · answer #1 · answered by Twizard113 5 · 1⤊ 1⤋
The aperture is the opening at the business end of the telescope. Most times this is equal to the diameter of the mirror or lens but when viewing bright objects like a full moon the aperture may be reduced to reduce light intensity.
2007-09-06 23:04:01 · answer #2 · answered by Anonymous · 0⤊ 0⤋
Aperture in a reflector is the outer diameter of the aluminized portion of the primary mirror. The diameter of the tube in a Newtonian should normally be a couple of inches larger than the aperture, to allow for convection currents along the periphery of the tube.
2007-09-06 23:03:11 · answer #3 · answered by GeoffG 7 · 2⤊ 0⤋
Geoff is right!
Another reason the tube is larger than the Mirror Aperture is to prevent "Vignetting", cutting off part of the field of view of the mirror.
The tube opening should allow for at least 1/2 degree angle light to reach the mirror, although most tubes allow for more than this to keep mounting screws and secondary spider ends out of the field of view.
Adolph
2007-09-07 10:48:56 · answer #4 · answered by Adolph K 4 · 0⤊ 0⤋
The aperture is whatever limits how large the incoming beam of light is. That is generally the diameter of the main lens or mirror, but in some catadioptrics it's the diameter of the corrector.
2007-09-06 22:59:05 · answer #5 · answered by injanier 7 · 1⤊ 0⤋
dunno
2007-09-06 22:05:43 · answer #6 · answered by cupcake 2 · 0⤊ 3⤋