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Astronomy & Space vocabulary · Telescopes & Observation

Telescope

Meaning in astronomy & space, with examples

/ˈtelɪskoʊp/nounCore term

In astronomy & space, telescope means: An instrument that collects light or other radiation from distant objects with lenses, mirrors or antennas, so that faint and far-away things can be seen and studied.

In Turkish: teleskop

How it is used

Used by amateurs and professionals alike. You set up, point, align and focus a telescope; astronomers apply for 'telescope time' at observatories. Types include refractors, reflectors, radio telescopes and space telescopes.

Example sentences

  1. Through a small telescope you can already see Saturn's rings.

  2. We set up the telescope in the garden and waited for the clouds to clear.

Common collocations

  • point the telescope at
  • set up a telescope
  • telescope time
  • amateur telescope
  • large telescope
  • apertureThe diameter of a telescope's main lens or mirror. A larger aperture collects more light, so fainter objects and finer details can be seen.
  • eyepieceThe small lens at the end of a telescope that you look through. Changing the eyepiece changes the magnification and the field of view.
  • observatoryA building or site with telescopes and instruments for observing the sky. Many large observatories are built on high, dry mountains far from city lights.
  • space telescopeA telescope placed in orbit or deep space, above Earth's atmosphere, so it gets sharper images and can detect light the atmosphere blocks, such as infrared, ultraviolet and X-rays.
  • radio telescopeA telescope that collects radio waves from space with a large dish or a set of antennas instead of visible light. It can observe through clouds and during the day.

More terms: Telescopes & Observation

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