Telescope Types
19 entries in the Telescope Types compendium.
Aerial telescopeA tubeless refracting telescope using a string to align objective and eyepiece.Balloon-borne telescopeSub-orbital telescopes lifted by stratospheric balloons for cost-effective astronomy.Cassegrain reflectorFolded optical path with concave primary and convex secondary mirrors.Catadioptric systemCatadioptric systems combine lenses and mirrors for compact, corrected optics.Crossed DragoneOff-axis design preserving polarization with low diffraction systematics.Dobsonian telescopeA large-aperture Newtonian reflector on a simple altazimuth mount.Great refractorLarge achromatic refractors defined 19th and early 20th century astronomy.Gregorian telescopeA reflecting telescope with concave primary and secondary mirrors.HeliometerA telescope that splits its lens to measure angular distances.IcaroscopeNonlinear optical device for viewing bright and dark objects simultaneously.Infrared telescopeTelescope using infrared light to detect celestial bodies.Liquid-mirror space telescopeA space telescope using a rotating liquid mirror and artificial gravity.Liquid-mirror telescopeA rotating liquid mirror forms a parabolic reflector for low-cost telescopes.Lurie–Houghton telescopeCatadioptric telescope with spherical surfaces and Newtonian-style diagonal.Maksutov telescopeCatadioptric design using a meniscus corrector to correct aberrations.Modified Dall–Kirkham telescopeModified Dall–Kirkham uses a lens group for improved off-axis performance.Nasmyth telescopeA Cassegrain variant with side-exit light for heavy instruments.Newtonian telescopeThe earliest known functional reflecting telescope, invented by Isaac Newton.Pfund telescopeFixed focal point telescope using a two-axis feed flat.
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