Why do radio telescopes have poor resolving power?
A)Their diameters are extremely large.
B)The energy they receive is not electromagnetic radiation.
C)Radio waves have long wavelengths.
D)Radio waves travel at slow speeds.

Question

Quizplus · Accepted Answer

Radio waves have long wavelengths, which means that they diffract (bend) as they pass around obstacles or through small apertures. This diffraction causes blurring of the image, reducing the resolving power of the radio telescope. In general, the resolving power of a telescope is proportional to the wavelength of the radiation it detects, so telescopes that operate at shorter wavelengths (such as optical telescopes) have much higher resolving power.

Why Do Radio Telescopes Have Poor Resolving Power