Optical Telescopes
Astronomers now have various types of telescopes from which to choose in order to study celestial objects like planets, stars, galaxies, and even the Sun. The type of telescope an astronomer uses depends on many factors, one being the type of information that the astronomer wishes to gather about his or her subject of study. As you can see with the two images below, different telescopes provide different types of images. These images of the Whirlpool Galaxy were taken by separate observatories, which use high-powered telescopes for astronomical research.
An image of the Whirlpool Galaxy |
An image of the Whirlpool Galaxy |
T.A. Rector and Monica Ramirez/
NOAO/AURA/NSF 
Image courtesy of NASA
Telescopes and observatories allow astronomers and stargazers to view the heavens. The best telescopes are those that have the largest light-gathering power. Light-gathering power is simply the ability to capture the most amount of light possible. In this interactivity, use the NEXT button or the numbered tabs at the bottom to explore some of the different telescopes and observatories that give astronomers many of the answers they seek. Click the player to begin.
Download a printable version of the interactivity above.
Telescopes and Observatories Review
Check your knowledge of telescopes and observatories by completing this non-graded activity. Read each statement and drag and drop the correct word that best completes each statement into the blank provided. Once you have completed the statement, click SUBMIT. Click the player to get started.