Telescope

A telescope is an optical instrument that gathers and magnifies light (or other electromagnetic radiation) from distant objects, making them appear larger and brighter, essentially allowing us to see further into space or across Earth. While early ones used lenses to bend light (refractors), modern large telescopes often use curved mirrors (reflectors) because mirrors are lighter and easier to make perfectly smooth, with bigger optics collecting more light for fainter objects. They are crucial tools in astronomy, acting as time machines by showing us light that traveled vast distances, revealing the universe’s past.