For most of use, the word collimation might sound very foreign and we probably don't know what it means. If, however, you spend a good deal of time working with telescopes, then this term may be familiar. This is especially true for those professional or amateur astronomers that use optical telescopes. These devices help people view distant objects and in order to do so, a collimator can be a helpful tool.
First of all, it can be helpful to understand that telescopes come in many forms. For instance, there are x-ray telescopes and also radio telescopes in use by scientists and engineers. The optical telescope is a helpful tool for many professions, including astronomers and people who captain a power boat or sailboat or perhaps even a large ocean vessel. This is the type of telescope with which most of us are well acquainted, and this device harnesses light and directs it in order to produce a magnified image of an object in the distance.
There are several main categories of optical telescopes and these include the catadioptric telescope, the reflecting telescope and the refracting telescope. With a refracting telescope, images are made by an arrangement of lenses, while a reflecting telescope uses mirrors to form the image that you see. The catadioptric variety of telescope actually uses both mirrors and lenses to form images.
In ancient time, optical devices that were similar to telescopes were created and used by civilizations such as Ancient Greece. As the years progressed, so did telescope design and Galileo is the astronomer who truly created the first quality telescopes for the study of the universe. As the years progressed, more advanced forms of telescopes were created including the Newtonian telescope, which was created by Sir Isaac Newton. This telescope design still is used today and can be a very cost-effective and easy-to-use telescope for the astronomy novice or amateur.
One of the difficulties associated with this particular type of telescope is that collimation can be an issue. Collimation basically refers to the alignment of the line of sight in your telescope. When you transport or move your Newtonian telescope, it can move out of alignment and need to be collimated again before you use it. For most amateurs, this lack of alignment is not a huge deal, but you can learn how to collimate your telescope fairly easily. For professional use on more advanced telescopes and optical instruments, it is wise to use a high quality alignment collimator which will direct the light and make accurate positioning far easier.
Alignment collimators are just one type of alignment instrument out there on the market. Proper alignment and calibration is highly important for all types of equipment and not just an optical instrument such as a telescope. All types of machinery must be aligned perfectly in order to ensure that products are created to exact specifications. Companies often hire technicians to come and calibrate and align machinery as needed throughout the year. As you can see, the world of alignment and collimation extends far beyond the needs of the Newtonian telescope.
First of all, it can be helpful to understand that telescopes come in many forms. For instance, there are x-ray telescopes and also radio telescopes in use by scientists and engineers. The optical telescope is a helpful tool for many professions, including astronomers and people who captain a power boat or sailboat or perhaps even a large ocean vessel. This is the type of telescope with which most of us are well acquainted, and this device harnesses light and directs it in order to produce a magnified image of an object in the distance.
There are several main categories of optical telescopes and these include the catadioptric telescope, the reflecting telescope and the refracting telescope. With a refracting telescope, images are made by an arrangement of lenses, while a reflecting telescope uses mirrors to form the image that you see. The catadioptric variety of telescope actually uses both mirrors and lenses to form images.
In ancient time, optical devices that were similar to telescopes were created and used by civilizations such as Ancient Greece. As the years progressed, so did telescope design and Galileo is the astronomer who truly created the first quality telescopes for the study of the universe. As the years progressed, more advanced forms of telescopes were created including the Newtonian telescope, which was created by Sir Isaac Newton. This telescope design still is used today and can be a very cost-effective and easy-to-use telescope for the astronomy novice or amateur.
One of the difficulties associated with this particular type of telescope is that collimation can be an issue. Collimation basically refers to the alignment of the line of sight in your telescope. When you transport or move your Newtonian telescope, it can move out of alignment and need to be collimated again before you use it. For most amateurs, this lack of alignment is not a huge deal, but you can learn how to collimate your telescope fairly easily. For professional use on more advanced telescopes and optical instruments, it is wise to use a high quality alignment collimator which will direct the light and make accurate positioning far easier.
Alignment collimators are just one type of alignment instrument out there on the market. Proper alignment and calibration is highly important for all types of equipment and not just an optical instrument such as a telescope. All types of machinery must be aligned perfectly in order to ensure that products are created to exact specifications. Companies often hire technicians to come and calibrate and align machinery as needed throughout the year. As you can see, the world of alignment and collimation extends far beyond the needs of the Newtonian telescope.
About the Author:
Carey Bourdier likes writing reviews on precision scientific instruments. For further info about an alignment collimeter, or to find more info about surveying instruments, check out the WarrenKnight.com site today.
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