The primary purpose of a telescope is to:
A)collect a large amount of light and bring it into focus.
B)magnify distant objects.
C)separate light into its component wavelengths.
D)make distant objects appear nearby.
E)measure the brightness of stars very accurately.

Question

Quizplus · Accepted Answer

The primary purpose of a telescope is to gather as much light as possible from distant objects to produce a clear image. Magnification is a secondary function and is dependent on the telescope's design and quality of optics. Separating light into its component wavelengths is typically the function of a spectrograph, while making distant objects appear nearby and accurately measuring star brightness can be achieved through the use of telescopes but are not their primary purpose. The primary purpose of a telescope is to collect a large amount of light and bring it into focus. This allows us to see faint, distant objects more clearly and in greater detail than we can with our naked eyes. While telescopes can also magnify distant objects, this is a secondary effect of their primary purpose. Telescopes do not separate light into its component wavelengths or measure the brightness of stars very accurately.

The Primary Purpose of a Telescope Is To