telescope types

It's raining. So, time to do some research...

While trying to find out about more complex counter-weighting of the Edmund reflector 'scope, I stumbled across the Frosty Drew Observatory site explaining the types of telescopes. And I learned some terminology!

• dioptric (usually called refractors): gather and focus light with a large lens at the entry to the telescope
• cataoptric (usually called reflectors): employ a large mirror at the rear of the telescope to gather and focus light
• catadioptric: use a meniscus lens at entry of telescope to collect and defocus light and a mirror in the rear to focus the light

There ya go.