Telescopes- Windows to the Sky

Assistant Professor Department of Physics Christian College Chengannur

Why in 2009?
To commemorate the 400th anniversary of Galileos first observations through a telescope in 1609

Galileo Galilei 1564-1642

A telescope
-observation of remote objects -by the collection of electromagnetic radiation

Observational frequency range details

Major types of telescopes

Gamma ray
X-ray Ultraviolet Visible Infrared Microwave Radio

Particle detection Gravitational waves

Non-EM

Optical (visible range) telescopes

Refracting telescopes-lenses

Reflecting telescopes-mirrors

Refracting telescope

Yerkes Observatory refracting telescope, Chicago, USA

Planet Mars as photographed by Yerkes Observatory refracting telescope

Reflecting telescope

Keck reflecting telescopes, Mauna kea, Hawaii

Keck telescope image of three planets orbiting a young star HR 8799 located 140 light years away

Large Binocular Telescope (Reflecting type) on Mount Graham (MGIO), Arizona, USA

MGIO image of Meissner 1 (crab nebula)

The Hubble Space Telescope (HST)-1990 (reflector type)

HST light diagram

Astronaut John Grunsfeld performs work on the Hubble Space Telescope on May 14, 2009

HST image of Supernova 1994D in Galaxy NGC 4526

IUCAA Girawali Observatory (IGO) Telescope

Mirror mount of IUCAA Telescope

IUCAA telescope image of Saturn

Vainu Bappu Observatory (VBO), Indian Institute of Astrophysics Kavalur,Tamilnadu (Indias largest at present)

Mirror mount of Vainu Bappu Observatory telescope

Vainu Bappu telescope image of Deep impact encounter with Tempel05 comet

Chandra X ray telescope-1999

Recent Chandra image of the center of the milky way

Fermi gamma ray telescope-2008

Arecibo radio telescope, World's largest single aperture radio telescope, Puerto Rico

Arecibo radio telescope image of detected distant galaxy Arp 220

Giant Meter-wave Radio Telescope, Pune

Ooty Radio Telescope

Major Telescopes Specifications

Thank you