Results 1 to 4 of 4

Thread: Reflector vs Refractor

  1. #1

    Reflector vs Refractor

    Just a quick question.

    Can reflector telescopes show as much detail as refractors?

    I've see many planetary photos done on SC telescopes with CCD imagers. They show quite a bit of detail, As in bands of Jupiter and Saturn, also Saturn's rings.

    Can Newtonian reflectors perform as well if equipped with an imager and EQ drive or are the optics not up to that of a refractor?

  2. #2
    Join Date
    Jul 2005
    Posts
    3,307
    Absolutely they can. Also, note that SC (if you are talking about Schmidt Cassegrain) scopes are reflectors, simply of a different design than Newtonian.

  3. #3
    Join Date
    Sep 2003
    Posts
    4,750
    Actually, Schmidt-Cassegrains and Maksutov-Cassegrains and a few other less well-known designs are compound or catadioptric telescopes since they incorporate both refractive and reflective elements. In the case of the SCT, the refractive element is an aspheric lens known as a Schmidt corrector plate that counteracts the coma of the spherical primary mirror.

    http://www.escience.ca/resource/buyi...leDesigns.html

    Dave Mitsky

  4. #4
    Thanks for the replys.

    The reason I asked is I have a newtonian reflector and I was giving some thought to putting it on a equitorial mount to try some basic astro photography with a CCD imager or camera.

    I was not sure of the quality I could expect from a reflector vs a SC or refactor.
    I did not want to go through assembling this a then find out it would not work all that well.

Similar Threads

  1. Homemade Refractor
    By TimmySand in forum Astronomical Observing, Equipment and Accessories
    Replies: 14
    Last Post: 2010-Jan-23, 07:00 AM
  2. Refractor or STC?
    By Major25 in forum Astronomical Observing, Equipment and Accessories
    Replies: 7
    Last Post: 2009-Aug-25, 05:43 PM
  3. refractor or reflector scope which to buy?
    By cosmocrazy in forum Astronomical Observing, Equipment and Accessories
    Replies: 35
    Last Post: 2009-Feb-27, 09:14 AM
  4. Refractor or Mak??
    By BigD in forum Astronomy
    Replies: 16
    Last Post: 2005-Jan-08, 07:20 AM
  5. 70/700 refractor
    By tamer in forum Astronomical Observing, Equipment and Accessories
    Replies: 10
    Last Post: 2004-Sep-23, 12:57 PM

Posting Permissions

  • You may not post new threads
  • You may not post replies
  • You may not post attachments
  • You may not edit your posts
  •