spherical aberration

American  

noun

1. variation in focal length of a lens or mirror from center to edge, due to its spherical shape.

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spherical aberration British  

noun

1. physics a defect of optical systems that arises when light striking a mirror or lens near its edge is focused at different points on the axis to the light striking near the centre. The effect occurs when the mirror or lens has spherical surfaces See also aberration

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spherical aberration Scientific  

/ sfîr′ĭ-kəl /

1. See under aberration

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Etymology

Origin of spherical aberration

First recorded in 1865–70

Example Sentences

We moved the secondary mirror in and out of focus in order to sample the spherical aberration at different levels.

From Nature

In front of it, to bring the light to a focus without "spherical aberration," is a correcting plate so slightly curved that it looks like plain sheet glass.

From Time Magazine Archive

But when the first image came back, it was blurry owing to a flaw known as spherical aberration.

From Nature

But if there is any spherical aberration or differences of density in different parts of the glass, the image will appear distorted in various ways.

From Side-Lights on Astronomy and Kindred Fields of Popular Science by Newcomb, Simon

This wonderful lens is achromatic, and free from spherical aberration and distortion of image.

From How it Works Dealing in simple language with steam, electricity, light, heat, sound, hydraulics, optics, etc., and with their applications to apparatus in common use by Williams, Archibald