Is Bigger Better?
äIf the magnification
of an object is
dependent only on the focal lengths
of the objective and the eyepiece,
why build large telescopes?
äOne reason is that
with large telescopes, the light
gathering power is increased
proportionally to the area
of the objective.
äWith more light, an
observer is better able
to “resolve” between two closely
spaced objects. So bigger
objectives allow you to see dimmer
objects more clearly.
