refracting telescope

Also known as refractor, dioptric telescope

type of optical telescope

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A refracting telescope is a type of optical telescope that uses curved glass lenses to bend light and magnify distant objects in the sky. These telescopes were historically important for early astronomical discoveries and remain useful tools for observing celestial bodies today.

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A 200 mm diameter refracting telescope at the Poznań Observatory

A refracting telescope (also called a refractor or dioptric telescope) is a type of optical telescope that uses a lens as its objective to form an image. The refracting telescope design was originally used in spyglasses and astronomical telescopes but is also used for long-focus camera lenses. Although large refracting telescopes were very popular in the second half of the 19th century, for most research purposes, the refracting telescope has been superseded by the reflecting telescope, which allows larger apertures. A refractor's magnification is calculated by dividing the focal length of the objective lens by that of the eyepiece.