Schmidt

Definition

Schmidt telescopes, also known as Schmidt cameras, are wide-field telescopes that use a spherical primary mirror and a corrector plate to reduce spherical aberration. They are particularly useful for astronomical surveys and capturing images of large areas of the sky.

5 Must Know Facts For Your Next Test

1. Schmidt telescopes were invented by Bernhard Voldemar Schmidt in 1930.
2. They are instrumental in discovering and studying quasars due to their wide field of view.
3. The corrector plate in a Schmidt telescope is essential for reducing spherical aberration.
4. Schmidt telescopes have been used in major sky surveys like the Palomar Observatory Sky Survey (POSS).
5. They enable astronomers to capture clear images of faint and distant objects, such as supermassive black holes and active galaxies.

Review Questions

• What is the primary advantage of using a Schmidt telescope in astronomical surveys?
• Who invented the Schmidt telescope, and in what year?
• Why is the corrector plate important in a Schmidt telescope?

Related terms

Quasar:

A highly luminous active galactic nucleus powered by a supermassive black hole at its center

Supermassive Black Hole:

A type of black hole with millions to billions of times the mass of the Sun, often found at the centers of galaxies

Active Galactic Nucleus (AGN): The central region of a galaxy that is extremely bright due to energetic phenomena around its supermassive black hole