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Resolving Power Vs. Magnifying Power

In optical systems such as telescopes, resolving power and magnifying power are important considerations. But resolving power and magnifying power are often confused, says the AstronomyNotes.com website, even though they really are very different things.

Resolving Power
- Resolving power is the ability to produce images sharp enough to distinguish two faraway objects that appear to be side-by-side, says AstronomyNotes. High resolving power brings out the small details when you are viewing a single object.
Measuring Resolution
- Resolution is measured in angular units called arcminutes and arcseconds. One arcminute of resolution is equivalent to distinguishing two quarters side-by-side at 100 yards distance. One arcsecond of resolution is equivalent to distinguishing two dimes side-by-side at 2.3 miles distance.
Magnifying Power
- Magnifying power is the ability to enlarge an image. But magnifying an image magnifies any distortions in the image and spreads out the light from the image, making it appear dimmer, say AstronomyNotes.

Astronomy