Library & Innovation Centre

Early telescopes focused light using pieces of curved, clear glass, called lenses. However, most telescopes today use curved mirrors to gather light from the night sky.

Telescopes collect and magnify the light from distant objects.

[What is] a basic optical telescope? There are two basic designs:
1. refracting telescopes, also known as refractors
2. reflecting telescopes, also known as reflectors

This guide describes how [various types of] telescopes work.