Telescope There are various types of telescopes, the optical telescope is the most common type. Telescope is a collection of lenses or mirrors that is used to allow the viewer to see distant objects more clearly. They have common characteristic that make distant objects appear to be closer. The first optical telescope was invented by Dutch lens-grinder, Hans Lippershey, in1608. The following year, the first astronomical telescope was built by Galileo from a tube containing two lenses of different focal lengths aligned on a single axis. With this telescope and several following versions, lunar mountains Jupiter, moon, sunspots and the starry were discovered. Since then, telescopes have increased in size and being improved in image quality, the systems of computer are used to enhance the design of telescope so that they become even more complex.