Lesson 18 - Telescopes
(Note: WorldWide Telescope 5 will need to be downloaded and installed on the computer before it can be used. This would probably have to be installed to a teachers personal laptop, since you may not have administrative permission to install new software on school computers).
A telescope is an optical instrument for making distant objects appear larger and therefore nearer. The first telescope was in vented in 1608 in Holland. Optical telescopes have a series of lenses that refract the light or a mirror that focuses the light at an eyepiece. Telescopes have been used by mariners and astronomers for hundreds of years. This lesson looks at the various type of telescopes that are in use around (and above) the world. The lesson also allows students to explore space using Microsoft's WorldWide Telescope 5 application. The link to install the software is below.