Curated OER
Telescopes Then And Now
In this telescopes worksheet, students will read information about the differences between the early telescopes and the modern telescopes. Then students will complete 2 short answer questions.
NASA
Nasa: Build a Telescope
This simple lesson plan outlines how to build refracting telescopes and calculate their magnification. Use the follow up lab questions to check for student understanding and view links to other NASA lesson plans.
Georgia State University
Georgia State University: Hyper Physics: Thin Lens Equation
This is an informative site from Georgia State University. It gives a discussion of the thin lens equation and an illustration of its use in determining the image distance based upon the object distance and the focal length.
PBS
Pbs Learning Media: The Beginnings of the Telescope
This animated essay from the NOVA Web site examines the design of Galileo's refracting telescope and Sir Isaac Newton's reflecting telescope.
University of Chicago
Telescopes at Yerkes Observatory / Virtual Tour
This site describes the difference between reflective and refractive telescopes and includes a virtual tour of Yerkes Observatory which houses the largest refracting telescope in the world.
Other
Meade Instruments Corporation: How Telescopes Work
This page explains in fairly simple terms the basics of telescopes. It includes information on the various types of telescopes and the factors people use to select the correct telescope for them. Meade is a leading telescope manufacturer.
Physics Classroom
The Physics Classroom: Image Formation by Lenses
This lesson explains what lenses are, the different between a converging and diverging lens, the difference between a double convex and double concave lens, and gives definitions for terms related to lenses.
Exploratorium
Exploratorium: Make Your Own Telescope
At this site students can make their own telescope and see how it works with this experiment. Out of a light, a pair of glasses, a magnifying glass and wax paper.
Wikimedia
Wikipedia: Refracting Telescope
Wikipedia provides detailed information on refracting telescopes, including an image, technical difficulties, and a hyperlinked list to info on notable refracting telescopes.
Other
Rice University/ats: Virtual Museum of Telescope History
This virtual museum has information on early telescopes which are mostly refractors. It contains research information on telescopes and early observatories as well as navigational equipment. Some parts still under construction.
Georgia State University
Georgia State University: Hyper Physics: Refractive Telescopes
This site from Georgia State University Physics Department gives a discussion of the manner in which light is refracted by refractive telescopes. Discusses the Galielean telescope and the astronomical telescope.
University of Maryland
Optics Highlights: The Telescope
Part of an anecdotal history of optics and the study of light. Extremely thorough treatment of the invention of the telescope. Includes a short biographical sketch and discusses the work of Isaac Newton which focuses on his contribution...
Optical Society
Optical Society of America: Optics for Kids: Make a Telescope
An activity for making a telescope using a cardboard tube and two lenses. Accompanied by an explanation of how the telescope works, and a link to an article about lenses.
University of Chicago
University of Chicago: Reflector and Refractor
From the Yerkes Observatory Virtual Tour web site. Compares and contrasts reflecting and refracting telescopes. A link from the page leads to a second page which explains why most modern research telescopes are reflecting telescopes.
Walter Fendt
Walter Fendt: Refracting Astronomical Telescope
An app for investigating the operation of a refracting telescope. The location of the eyepiece and objective lens can be altered, and the focal point and path of light through the lenses can be observed.