Abstract
The purpose of a telescope is to collect light and the more the better. Magnification is a secondary concern. A commonly asked question with regards to telescopes is “How far can you see?” In reality, it isn’t how far the object is away, but how dim it is that concerns the astronomer or astrophotographer. Though the two parameters are somewhat related, a highly luminous object that is far away could appear to be the same brightness as a dimmer object that is closer to the observer. So the light gathering capability of the telescope is the primary consideration when choosing a system for both visual or photographic applications. This means size, and yes, it does matter.
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This fast F-ratio is possible when using a telescope in a “Fastar” configuration. In this case, the imaging camera replaces the secondary mirror. This shortens the focal distance allowing for wide field, high speed photography.
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© 2015 Springer Science+Business Media New York
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Jensen, T.J. (2015). Telescopes: The Basics. In: Budget Astrophotography. The Patrick Moore Practical Astronomy Series. Springer, New York, NY. https://doi.org/10.1007/978-1-4939-1773-0_2
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DOI: https://doi.org/10.1007/978-1-4939-1773-0_2
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