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Refracting Telescopes use a large objective lens as their primary light-collecting element. Meade
refractors, in all models and apertures, include achromatic (2-element) objective lenses in order to reduce
or virtually eliminate the false colour (chromatic aberration) that results in the telescopic image when light
passes through a lens.
Reflecting Telescopes use a concave primary mirror to collect light and form an image. In the Newtonian
type of reflector, light is reflected by a small, flat secondary mirror to the side of the main tube for
observation of the image.
In the refracting telescope, light is collected by a 2-element objective lens and brought to
focus at F.
In contrast, the reflecting telescope uses a concave mirror for this purpose.
F
Eyepiece
2-element
Objective Lens
F
Eyepiece
Concave
Mirror
Secondary
Mirror
Refracting Telescope
Reflecting Telescope
WARNING!
Never use a Meade
®
StarNavigator
™
Telescope to look at the
Sun! Looking at or near the Sun will cause instant and
irreversible damage to your eye. Eye damage is often
painless, so there is no warning to the observer that damage has
occurred until it is too late. Do not point the
telescope at or near the Sun. Do not look through the telescope
or viewfinder as it is moving.
Children should always have
adult supervision while observing.