The resolving power of an optical telescope with a diameter of 232 cm is
A) 0.05 arc seconds.
B) 232 arc seconds.
C) 2.32 arc seconds.
D) 5 arc seconds.
E) 11.6 arc seconds.

Question

Quizplus · Accepted Answer

The resolving power of a telescope is determined by the formula: θ = 1.22 * (λ/D), where λ is the wavelength of light and D is the diameter of the telescope. For visible light, this typically results in a resolving power of around 0.05 arc seconds for a telescope with a diameter of 232 cm.

The Resolving Power of an Optical Telescope with a Diameter