Compared to a 5-inch prime focus reflector, a 5-inch Newtonian reflector will:
A)have more light gathering power.
B)have the same light gathering power.
C)be easier to build.
D)have more chromatic aberration.
E)have a larger hole in the center of its mirror.

Question

Quizplus · Accepted Answer

Both telescopes have the same size mirror, so they have the same light gathering power. The only difference is the design, with the prime focus reflector having a parabolic mirror at the bottom and the eyepiece at the top, while the Newtonian reflector has a tilted flat mirror that reflects the light to the side where the eyepiece is located. Both the prime focus reflector and the Newtonian reflector have the same size of primary mirror, hence they will have the same light gathering power. However, the design of a Newtonian reflector (using a secondary mirror to reflect the light out of the side of the telescope) may require slightly more effort in building compared to a simple prime focus reflector. A larger hole in the center of the mirror or more chromatic aberration are not necessarily characteristics of a Newtonian reflector.

Compared to a 5-Inch Prime Focus Reflector, a 5-Inch Newtonian