What is the Difference Between Reflector and Refractor Telescopes?

Last updated on January 2nd, 2024

A telescope is an optical instrument that is used to make faraway objects appear nearer and magnified. It is mainly used to observe and study distant objects such as galaxies, planets, and stars in space. 

If you are into astronomy, you would have surely heard about this visual tool as almost all astronomical, astrological, meteorological inspections and observations from the Earth are made using this instrument. 

In fact, if it weren’t for the telescope, then we would never have been able to identify the nature of outer space and other celestial bodies. 

Telescopes come in different sizes and types. Two of the major types that are designated as basic types of telescope are reflector and refractor telescopes.

If you are looking for a new telescope, a beginner one, but don’t which type to opt for or lack information regarding the difference between reflector and refractor telescopes, then carry on with us till the end of the article and all your queries related to the difference between refractor vs reflector telescope will be answered.

But before getting to know the difference between reflector and refractor telescopes, one should know what they are and for what purposes they are used. 

What is a Reflector Telescope?

A reflector telescope uses a single or a combination of curved optical mirrors to reflect light and form a magnified image of distant objects. A reflecting telescope is preferred for observing deep objects like nebulae in space. Its magnification is superior. A reflector telescope is basically known for capturing faint and dim lights from distant objects and make those objects appear magnified. It has huge mirrors that can capture a good amount of light and create enlarged images of obscure objects. 

Working of a Reflector Telescope

The design mostly used these days for a reflector is the Newtonian design; thus, it is also named as a Newtonian reflector. It has a long open-ended tube. At the bottom of the tube, a curved mirror, also called a primary mirror, is present. 

This curved mirror can be parabolic or spherical. It catches light from distant bright bodies and focuses it on a point. This focused light reaches the secondary mirror, which is tilted at a 45-degree angle so that the light from this mirror is reflected in the eyepiece. 

The eyepiece is a lens through which the viewer can see the magnified picture. The picture produced by a Newtonian reflecting telescope is inverted. 

Invention

In 1668, Isaac Newton invented it while solving the problem of chromatic aberrations in a refracting telescope. He used a concave mirror (primary) and a diagonal mirror (secondary) for his design. Still today, the Newtonian design is preferred and considered best for a reflecting telescope.

We now know what a reflecting telescope is, now let’s analyze the structure and working of a refracting telescope. 

Read Also: Gskyer Telescope az50350

What is a Refracting Telescope?

Unlike a reflecting telescope, a refracting telescope uses an arrangement of lenses to produce a more precise and nearer image of faraway objects.  It is best known for observing bright celestial bodies in outer space, such as planets, stars, and the moon. Its lens has a small aperture and is best known for creating sharp and magnified images.

Working of a Refracting Telescope

The design used for refracting telescopes these days is the Keplerian Refractor design. A Keplerian refracting telescope uses a pair of convex lenses. The lens at the front is called the objective, while at the end is the eyepiece. The eyepiece is situated behind the focus point of the objective lens. The light gets refracted at the objective and produces a magnified image at the eyepiece, through which the observer can study the image. The image produced by a Keplerian refractor telescope is inverted both horizontally and vertically.

Invention

Galileo Galilei invented it in 1609. He assembled a concave and a convex lens in a long tube, proving the first structure for a refracting telescope. The Galilean design, due to some inaccuracy, has been replaced by the Keplerian design.

We know what is reflecting and refracting telescopes; thus, now we will study the difference between reflector and refractor telescopes. For that purpose, let’s observe the reflector vs refractor telescope comparison table.

Reflector vs Refractor Telescope

	Reflector Telescope	Refractor Telescope
Magnifies by Using	A single mirror or combination of mirrors. In Newtonian design, the primary mirror is concave, while the second one is a diagonal mirror.	Typically two optical lenses.For Kaplarian refracting telescope, both are convex. For the Gallelian refracting telescope, one is convex while the other is concave.
Size	Large, heavy	Portable, lightweight
Best for	Observing deep distant objects in the space.	Observing bright distant celestial bodies in space.
Invention	Isaac Newton in 1668	Galileo Galilei in 1609
Size of Primary mirror/lens	Large	Small
Structure	Open-ended tube	Closed tube
Maintenance	High maintenance	Low maintenance
Price	Less Expensive	More Expensive
	Check Price on Amazon	Check Price on Amazon

For a better understanding of the difference between reflector and refractor telescopes, let’s have a look at the advantages and disadvantages of the two types.

Advantages of Reflecting Telescope

• Since the mirrors are cheaper to manufacture than optical lenses, thus this telescope is cheaper.
• It has a shorter tube than a refracting telescope.
• It is not subjected to chromatic aberrations.
• It has big mirrors, which can capture a ton of light, making it best to observe deep bodies in the galaxy at night.

Disadvantages of Reflecting Telescope

• It is heavy and bulky to carry.
• It gets dirty quickly as it has an open-ended tube.
• It requires high maintenance.
• Collimation (alignment of mirrors) needs to be done from time to time.
• Its optical quality is not so good since mirrors are used.
• Coma aberration can occur. For correcting this aberration, coma correctors are needed.

Advantages of Refracting Telescope

• It is easy to use and beginner-friendly.
• The lenses of a refracting telescope do not need time-to-time adjustment from the user.
• A refracting telescope does not require a lot of maintenance.
• It is lightweight and portable.
• Optical quality is the best. Sharp images are observed using this telescope.
• Complex refracting telescopes are best for astrophotography.
• It has a closed tube design, ensuring protection from temperature, dust, and other related factors. 

Disadvantages of Refractor Telescope

• Optical lenses are more costly; thus, this type of telescope is more expensive.
• Chromatic aberrations or color fringing are one of the most significant disadvantages of this telescope.
• The primary lens or objective has a small aperture; thus, it captures a small amount of light from the body under observation, making it bad for observing deep distant objects in outer space.

Reflector vs Refractor Telescope: Which is Better for Beginners?

The primary difference between reflector and refractor telescopes is the optical tools used for magnification and image formation. Moreover, there is a sheer difference between the uses of both telescopes. If you are a beginner and want to opt for a basic telescope, go for a refracting telescope. It is much easier to handle and requires low maintenance. By using this, you don’t need to worry about collimation or temperature effects. Moreover, it is portable and lightweight. 

If you want to buy your kid a telescope, then it is the suggested one. It is likewise suitable for kids as it can easily be handled and will be enough for their primary research.

But if you are more interested in studying outer space than celestial bodies, opt for a reflecting telescope, as the other one has a smaller aperture and cannot capture much light. Thus, deep bodies in space like nebulae and galaxies aren’t visible through it. While reflecting telescope has big mirrors that capture much light to magnify even the dimmest bodies in space. Moreover, purchasing a reflecting telescope is more of an economical choice.

Refractor vs Reflector telescope: Which is Best for Astrophotography

Photography of astronomical bodies is termed ‘astronomical imaging’ or ‘astrophotography.’ If you are interested in this subject, then primarily a refracting telescope is suggested as it offers sharp optical quality. But what is important to mention is that you will also need to correct its chromatic aberration with compound lenses for getting good quality images. This can add up to the price of refracting telescopes which is already expensive.

But it isn’t true that you cannot use a reflecting telescope for this purpose. It totally depends on your preference. But quality-wise, the former one is still the first option.

Reviewing the Difference Between Reflector and Refractor Telescopes, Which Should I Buy?

Again it depends upon what you want to use it for because both refractor and reflector telescopes are best in their respective field.

• If you seek something economical, opt for a reflecting telescope.
• If you want to study the far-ends of galaxies, opt for a reflecting telescope.
• If you seek sharp images and accurate precision, opt for a refracting telescope.
• If you want to avoid chromatic aberrations, opt for a reflecting telescope.
• If you want to avoid coma aberrations, opt for a refracting telescope.
• If you want a portable option, then the refracting telescope is the best.

We hope that all of your queries related to the difference between reflector and refractor telescopes had been answered through this article.