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Telescopes
Telescopes are optical instruments used to see objects at far distances. Their construction can be of two types: reflecting or refracting.
Refracting telescopes
Refracting telescopes work with the same mechanism as the compound microscope. In this case, the distance between the objective and ocular lens is the length of the telescope tube.
Reflecting telescopes
Reflecting telescopes work by gathering as much light as possible to provide a detailed image. They consist of a large, concave, parabolic mirror. Light from very distant objects is focused in the mirror, producing a magnified, inverted virtual image.
Reflecting telescopes are useful for looking at stars and planets in space, where enough detail cannot be seen with a refracting telescope.