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refracting telescope

American  
[ri-frakt-ing tel-uh-skohp] / rɪˈfrækt ɪŋ ˈtɛl əˌskoʊp /

noun

  1. Astronomy. Also called refractor. a telescope that uses a converging lens to focus incoming light and form a magnified image. Compare reflecting telescope.


refracting telescope British  

noun

  1. Also called: refractor.  a type of telescope in which the image is formed by a set of lenses Compare reflecting telescope

"Collins English Dictionary — Complete & Unabridged" 2012 Digital Edition © William Collins Sons & Co. Ltd. 1979, 1986 © HarperCollins Publishers 1998, 2000, 2003, 2005, 2006, 2007, 2009, 2012

refracting telescope Scientific  
/ rĭ-frăktĭng /
  1. See under telescope


Example Sentences

Examples are provided to illustrate real-world usage of words in context. Any opinions expressed do not reflect the views of Dictionary.com.

See Examples For:

The 12-inch Zeiss refracting telescope is arguably the showpiece of Griffith Observatory, housed in the easternmost dome that forms the building’s crown-like outline.

From New York Times Aug. 24, 2022

It would make for a fantastic dance floor, but the 37.5-ton platform’s sole purpose at Yerkes Observatory in Williams Bay is to provide convenient access to the world’s largest refracting telescope.

From Washington Times Jun. 29, 2020

Inside one small dome is a beautiful, vintage refracting telescope with an exquisite lens.

From Washington Post Aug. 11, 2017

Currently, the largest refracting telescope is the 40-inch refractor at Yerkes Observatory in Wisconsin.

From Textbooks Oct. 13, 2016

In a reflecting telescope the image is magnified by a curved mirror, while in a refracting telescope it is magnified by passing through a lens.

From "The Invention of Science" by David Wootton

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