Resolving power of a telescope

Experiment L9
Joe Coady n8799890

Joe Coady QUT 2013

Aim of experiment
To investigate the limit of resolution of a telescope.

Methods
The limit of resolution of a telescope objective lens is the angle subtended at the objective lens by two objects which are just resolved. For a circular objective and distant objects it is given by:

Where: = the angle in radians subtended by the two objects at the objective lens, = the wavelength of light by which the image of the objects are formed, a = the effective aperture of the objective lens, and p = a constant, the value of which depends on the shape of the objective lens. (radians) = where d is the distance between the aperture and the objects as shown in Figure 1, and s is the distance between the two objects (in this case the distance between two slits as shown in Figure 2).

Figure 1: Experimental Arrangement

Figure 2: Detail of plate Equations 1 and 2 combined yield

Graphing s against (1/a) should yield a straight line with slope origin.

through the

Procedure
We setup the apparatus and measured the distance (d) as 13meters. Opened the iris to its full aperture and focused on a pair of scratches on the plate about where they were cut by the line AB in figure 2. The iris was then closed until the chosen pair of lines merged to the point where they can only just be visually distinguished as two lines and closing the aperture further caused them to merge completely. The diameter of the iris (a) was then measured using the angle indicated on the iris holder and the calibration graph that was provided. This process was repeated for all of the line separations. The data was then tabulated.

Data catalogue
No 1 2 3 4 5 6 7 8 s
0.33 0.37 0.39 0.41 0.42 0.46 0.54 0.55

Aperture angle
108 106 97 76 74 68 65 59

Size of Aperture (a)

30 29 26.5 17 16.5 12.5 11 7.5

1/a
0.033333333 0.034482759 0.037735849 0.058823529 0.060606061 0.080000000 0.090909091 0.133333333

Data visualisation
s vs 1/a - Gradient = 0.41224

0.55

0.50

0.45

s
0.40 0.35

0.04

0.06

0.08

0.10

0.12

1/a

Interpretation of results
Context of the tested hypothesis and the available literature We used the calculated slope of 0.45 to find our value for p (the constant, the value of which depends on the shape of the objective lens).

Slope =

= p * 589.3nm * 13m

Critical reflection
Discussion of the results and the scientific approach you used. Comparing the calculated p value of 58739.8 to the expected 1.22 questions the validity of our data. Due to this large discrepancy from our actual data and the expected value I believe the test should be run again under better circumstances and our data should be investigated further.