Telescope Timeline
Name:
Directions:
Go to the website: Telescopes from the Ground Up
1. Explore the Get To the Root of It section and answer the following:
a. Select 1 (one) of the concepts in this section and in 2 – 3 sentences explain the
importance of this basic concept in the development of the telescope.
b. Briefly explain 1 (one) advantage and 1 (one) disadvantage of ‘space’ telescopes.
2. Explore the other topics on this website and briefly dispute the following misconceptions
about telescopes (remember, the following statement are incorrect, you need to explain
why):
a. Telescopes are built on mountains to get closer to the astronomical objects being
observed.
b. All the best telescopes have the greatest magnification.
3. Explore the other topics on this website and create a timeline of telescope development.
a. As you read about the of the development of telescopes, the scientists who built and
used them, and the discoveries made with them, take notes that will help you
determine the significance and timeline of these events.
b. Select the 6 events that you think are most important to the development of the
telescope and place them on your timeline.
c. Briefly describe why each event was important in the history of telescopes and
arrange the events in the correct sequence. (Put a 1 next to the event you think
happened first, a 2 next to the event you think happened next, and so on.)
Rank
Event
Notes
Why is this event important?
Notes
Why is this event important?
The first reflecting
telescope is built.
Spiral nebulae are
discovered.
The first permanent
solar telescope is
built.
Scientists learn how to
put silver on glass.
Computers control
and position
telescopes.
For the first time, the
Moon is photographed
through a telescope.
Rank
Event
The Spyglass is
invented.
The Hubble Space
Telescope is
launched.
A telescope is used to
discover mountains
and valleys on the
Moon.
The first radio
telescope is built.
Huygens discovers
the bulges around
Saturn are separate
rings.
The first telescope
with multiple primary
mirrors begins
observing.
A lens doublet without
chromatic aberration
is made.
A non-spherical mirror
is ground.