Optical Telescope

Optical telescope is the most common type of telescope available for beginners in astronomy. Optical telescopes are cheaper and have sufficient features to let you view the celestial objects and the electromagnetic radiation in the sky. Other than astronomy they’re also used in theodolite, binoculars, spyglass and camera lenses. As technology progressed optical telescopes are improved a lot giving much better image quality than earlier optical telescopes.
How optical telescope works ?
Optical telescope gathers and focuses the light from the visible portion of electromagnetic spectrum. This allows observer to view image that is being magnified from a longer distance. Optical telescopes have features to adjust the brightness and the size of the image that allows observer to comfortably view the celestial objects easily.
Types of Optical Telescopes
Refracting Telescope
Reflecting Telescope
Catadioptric Telescope
Infrared telescope
Refracting telescope These telescope makes use of a lens that forms the image to let observer view it. As the images with this type of telescope is formed by bending of light or refraction hence they’re called as refracting telescopes. There are many designs of refracting telescopes some of them are : Galileo's telescope, Keplerian Telescope, Achromatic refractor, Apochromatic refractor. Reflecting TelescopeReflecting telescope makes use of single or combination of mirrors to form an image by reflecting the light. These telescope were invented as alternative to refracting telescopes. In comparison to refracting telescopes these telescopes offer bigger and brighter view. So for large scale astronomical research reflecting telescopes are used. Some of the popular designs of reflecting telescope are: Gregorian telescope, Cassegrain telescope, Ritchey-Chrétien telescope, Schiefspiegler telescope.
Catadioptric TelescopeCatadioptric Telescope makes use of both relection and refraction techniques to produce image. They’re usually used in telephoto and microscope instruments.
Infrared telescopesInfrared telescope makes use of an infrared light to form an image. Infrared telescopes require shielding from heat and chilled region in order to form image clear to observer. So it is only used in the region where the environment is suitable for using infrared detector. Other types of optical telescope includes:
Ultraviolet telescope
Fresnel Imager
Submillimetre telescope
Where optical telescopes are used ?
In labs for research (as microscope)
For astronomy research
Telephoto Cameras
Binoculars
Spy glasses
Surveillance Catadioptric Sensors
There are many types of telescopes but optical telescope being affordable, easy to operate becomes first choice for beginner in astronomy. You need to research a little before you purchase optical telescope for your kids or for yourself.