The objective lens of a refractor telescope or the primary mirror of a reflector telescope gathers incoming light and brings it to a focus at a focal point.  The eyepiece of a telescope takes that light and magnifies it by taking the small image and spreading it out to make it look bigger to the eye.

There are two general principles in how any telescope works.  The first one is how well it can collect light using it’s mirror’s and/or lenses.  The other factor is the magnification of the image that is being viewed. This is determined by the diameter of the lens or of the mirror. Obviously, the more light that is collected, the brighter and more defined the image will be.

Magnification is the ability to take a target object which is at far distance and enlarge it so one can see it clearly.  Magnification power can be determined by using different powers of eyepieces. How well the remote object can be viewed will depend upon on the luminosity of the object you are trying to view through the telescope.

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