 |
EQUIPMENT GUIDE
Telescopes
Types of Telescopes
Choosing a Telescope
Telescope Accessories
Spotting Scopes
Astrophotography
Binoculars
Types of Binoculars
Choosing Binoculars
Binocular Accessories
Software & Books
Astronomy Software
Star Charts & Maps
Astronomy Books
Other Resources
Articles & Tips
Glossary & Abbrev.
Related Links
Sitemap
|
|
< back
Performance Limits for Telescopes
There are several factors that influence the performance limit, as measured by maximum visual magnitude and resolution, primary among these is the aperture of the telescope:
Aperture
(inches) |
Maximum
Magnitude |
Theoretical
Resolution |
| 3.1" (80mm) |
12.2 |
1.50 arc-seconds |
| 4" (100mm) |
12.7 |
1.20 arc-seconds |
| 5" (125mm) |
13.2 |
0.95 arc-seconds |
| 6" (150mm) |
13.6 |
0.80 arc-seconds |
| 8" (200mm) |
14.2 |
0.65 arc-seconds |
| 10" (250mm) |
14.7 |
0.50 arc-seconds |
| 12.5" (320mm) |
15.2 |
0.40 arc-seconds |
| 14" (355mm) |
15.4 |
0.34 arc-seconds |
| 16" (400mm) |
15.7 |
0.30 arc-seconds |
| 20" (500mm) |
16.2 |
0.24 arc-seconds |
|
|
