Herschelian Telescope (Noun)
Meaning
A reflecting telescope with the mirror slightly tilted to throw the image to the side where it can be viewed.
Classification
Nouns denoting man-made objects.
Examples
- A Herschelian telescope uses a Herschel wedge, essentially a prism, to grab light exiting its tilted primary mirror, rather than blocking it.
- The Herschelian telescope was the first practical way to view objects through a reflecting telescope, developed in the 1780s by William Herschel.
- With a tilted primary mirror and smaller secondary, a Herschelian telescope can sometimes produce higher-contrast views of certain objects than the more commonly used Newtonian reflector.
- The configuration of a Herschelian telescope minimizes the loss of light through its mirror system, increasing overall optical efficiency.
- In a Herschelian telescope, the primary mirror is angled enough to cause the image formed near its focus to exit the tube sideways.