
Light path of a Newtonian (Catoptric) telescope
'Catoptrics' deals with the phenomena of
reflected light and
image-forming optical systems using
mirrors.
Catoptrics was described by
Euclid in his book of the same name which covered the mathematical theory of mirrors, particularly the images formed in plane and spherical concave mirrors.
The first practical catoptric
telescope (the "
Newtonian reflector") was built by
Isaac Newton as a solution to the problem of
chromatic aberration exhibited in
dioptric telescopes.
See also
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Dioptrics
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Catadioptrics
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Optical telescope
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List of telescope types
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Image-forming optical system
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Frenel lens
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Lighthouse lens