Should You Buy A Refractor Or Reflector Telescope?
Posted By arafatrust on May 16, 2011
If you are interested in purchasing a telescope, you have probably heard about refractor and reflector telescopes. Though, you may not have a great understanding of the advantages and disadvantages of both, as well as which one is the best option for you. The following will discuss both of these telescopes in more detail.
Refractor telescopes uses lenses to focus light into the the eyepiece. This design is found in many spotting scopes and binoculars. The eyepiece that is found at the top of the telescope then has this light reflected on to it. The eyepiece that is found at the top of the telescope then has this light reflected on to it. The Newtonian reflector is one of the most popular of this type and also the oldest.
Both types have their pros and cons. Deciding which one to choose depends on your purpose for it and the amount of money you have to spend on it.
Refractor Telescopes
One of the main benefits of a refractor telescope is that because the tube is not open and you don’t have to adjust a mirror, there is almost no maintenance involved. The high models of this type have the most rugged designs, while also producing images that are among the sharpest and brightest that you will find per inch. Because the eyepiece is at the bottom where shorter people can see, this scope is well suited for children in addition to the fact that they are built strong.
The downside to this style is that they some of the most expensive telescopes out there. They jump in price quite a bit after 3 inches.
Reflector Telescopes
If you don’t want to spend a lot of money, then reflector telescopes might be of interest. They are not as costly to produce as refractors. This type is used for finding objects that are located far past our solar system because of their size and the image quality they produce. If you are interested in growing over the long run in astronomy, then a 4.5 inch or larger reflector is a nice place to start.
The disadvantage of reflectors is that they are not built as strong and the mirrors have to be adjusted periodically. And because they are not closed, dust and dirt can build on the mirrors that will have to be cleaned as well. These are not build for children, not only because they are more fragile but they are also harder to reach as the eyepiece is at the top instead of the bottom.
See Also: Orion SkyQuest XT8 Classic Dobsonian Telescope Review, Celestron 21024 FirstScope Telescope Review, Telescope Reviews
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