What do we mean by the diffraction limit of a telescope?
A)It is the maximum size to which any telescope can be built.
B)It describes the farthest distance to which the telescope can see.
C)It describes the maximum exposure time for images captured with the telescope.
D)It is the best angular resolution the telescope could achieve with perfect optical quality and in the absence of atmospheric distortion.

Question

Quizplus · Accepted Answer

The diffraction limit of a telescope refers to the best angular resolution it can achieve under ideal conditions, which means perfect optical quality and no atmospheric distortion. It is determined by the diameter of the telescope's primary mirror or lens, and is the smallest angular separation between two point sources of light that the telescope can distinguish.

What Do We Mean by the Diffraction Limit of a Telescope