The following are lists of devices categorized as types of telescopes or devices associated with telescopes. They are broken into major classifications with many variations due to professional, amateur, and commercial sub-types. Telescopes can be classified by optical design or mechanical design/construction. Telescopes can also be classified by where they are placed, such as space telescopes. One major determining factor is type of light, or particle being observed including devices referred to as "telescopes" that do not form an image or use optics. Some telescopes are classified by the task they perform; for example Solar telescopes are all designs that look at the Sun, Dobsonian telescopes are designed to be low cost and portable, Aerial telescopes overcame the optical shortcomings of 17th-century objective lenses, etc.
List of optical telescope types
Optical telescopes can be classified by three primary optical designs (refractor, reflector, or catadioptric), by sub-designs of these types, by how they are constructed, or by the task they perform. They all have their different advantages and disadvantages and they are used in different areas of professional and amateur astronomy.
Refracting telescopes (Dioptrics)
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Reflecting telescopes (Catoptrics)
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Catadioptric telescopes (Catadioptrics)
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Telescopes classified by the task performed
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Telescopes classified by the task performed
Astrograph
Astronomical optical interferometry
Comet seeker
Finderscope
GoTo telescopes
Graphic telescope
Infrared telescope
Meridian circle
Robotic telescope
Solar telescope
Space telescope
Spotting scope
Sun Gun Telescope
Zenith telescope
List of telescope types working outside the optical spectrum
See also: Electromagnetic spectrum
Atmospheric Cherenkov telescope used to detect gamma rays
Infrared telescope
Radio telescope
Submillimeter telescope
Ultraviolet telescope (see also Ultraviolet astronomy)
X-ray telescope (see also X-ray astronomy)
Wolter telescope
List of broad spectrum telescopes
Fast Fourier Transform Telescope
List of telescope mounts types
Optical and other types of telescopes are mounted on different types of mounts.
- Fixed mount
- Transit mount
- Zenith mount
- Altazimuth mount
- Alt-alt (altitude-altitude) mount
- Equatorial mount
- Equatorial platform
- Poncet Platform
- Open fork mount
- German equatorial mount
- English mount (Polar frame mount)
- Modified English mount
- Barn door tracker (Scotch mount)
- Springfield mount
- Equatorial platform
- Hexapod mount
- Infinite-axis telescope
See also
Astronomy portal Solar System portal Spaceflight portal
Lists of telescopes
Misc
History of the telescope
Hellenica World - Scientific Library
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