Loading...

Glossary term: Telescópio Refletor

Description: Em um telescópio refletor ou telescópio de espelho, o principal elemento óptico é um espelho, o "espelho primário", que coleta a luz incidente. Os telescópios de espelho geralmente são caracterizados pelo diâmetro do espelho primário, que varia de 10 centímetros, no caso de telescópios amadores menores, a oito metros, no caso dos maiores espelhos sólidos usados em telescópios profissionais. Áreas de coleta ainda maiores podem ser obtidas pela combinação de vários segmentos de espelho, que agem de forma semelhante à de um espelho sólido maior. Há vários tipos de telescópios de espelho. Por exemplo, em um telescópio newtoniano, a luz proveniente do espelho primário é refletida lateralmente por um espelho menor e plano para uma ocular ou uma câmera. Em um telescópio Cassegrain, um espelho secundário menor e convexo reflete a luz de volta por meio de uma abertura no espelho principal.

Related Terms:



See this term in other languages

Term and definition status: The original definition of this term in English have been approved by a research astronomer and a teacher
The translation of this term and its definition is still awaiting approval

The OAE Multilingual Glossary is a project of the IAU Office of Astronomy for Education (OAE) in collaboration with the IAU Office of Astronomy Outreach (OAO). The terms and definitions were chosen, written and reviewed by a collective effort from the OAE, the OAE Centers and Nodes, the OAE National Astronomy Education Coordinators (NAECs) and other volunteers. You can find a full list of credits here. All glossary terms and their definitions are released under a Creative Commons CC BY-4.0 license and should be credited to "IAU OAE".

If you notice a factual or translation error in this glossary term or definition then please get in touch.

Related Media


Os dois telescópios Keck vistos de cima. As cúpulas estão abertas e os espelhos dos telescópios podem ser vistos em seu interior.

Telescópios Keck

Caption: Os dois telescópios Keck em Mauna Kea, na ilha do Havaí. Esses dois telescópios são refletores com espelhos primários de 10 m de diâmetro.
Credit: NASA/JPL credit link

License: PD Public Domain icons


A telescope points to the sky where the Milky Way sits with mottled dark and light patches.

Learning Nights

Caption: Honorable mention in the 2023 IAU OAE Astrophotography Contest, category of Still images taken exclusively with smartphones/mobile devices. Beneath the sprawling expanse of the night sky over Colombia's Tatacoa Desert, a telescope finds its alignment with the majestic galactic core, while a smartphone captures this cosmic encounter. This snapshot, taken on 9 June 2023 during an astronomy camp, epitomises the accessible beauty of celestial marvels. It showcases the mesmerising grandeur of the night sky, inviting both the casual stargazer and the passionate astronomer alike. The splendour of the Milky Way, elegantly captured through a mobile device, seamlessly bridges the gap between sophisticated equipment and the pure, profound joy of observing the stars.
Credit: Juan Pablo Botero Londoño/IAU OAE (CC BY 4.0)

License: CC-BY-4.0 Creative Commons Attribution 4.0 International (CC BY 4.0) icons

The Office of Astronomy for Education is hosted by the Haus der Astronomie on the campus of the Max Planck Institute for Astronomy in Heidelberg. The Office of Astronomy for Education is an office of the International Astronomical Union, with substantial funding from the Klaus Tschira Foundation and the Carl Zeiss Foundation. The Shaw-IAU Workshops on Astronomy for Education
are funded by the Shaw Prize Foundation.