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Notes on Telescope Design |
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Notes on Telescope Design |
| Note: Newt is a graphical newtonian telescope design program. The information on this page is taken directly from the Newt help screens. There are several references to menus and files in Newt. Take this link to download Newt design software. |
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Telescope design is part science and part art. Many of Newt's calculations were
taken from standard formulas in books. Some were invented out of necessity by
the author. In some cases, more than one formula was available, giving somewhat
different results. There are differing optimizations based on the intended use
of the scope (like planetary vs. deep sky work). And of course, every telescope
builder has his or her opinion of the "correct" way to do something. So take
this advice or ignore it as you see fit. The purpose of a telescope is to collect light from a distant object, bring it to a clear and undistorted focus, magnify it, and deliver it to a detector (your eye, a camera, etc.). Many factors can interrupt or distort the flow of light in a telescope, degrading the image quality. That is the reason for Newt - to quickly find the problem areas in a design, adjust variables, and check the results. Design issues:
Vignetting Atmospheric Distortion |
