What does the Eyepiece lens do in a reflecting telescope?

• A. Magnifies the image
• B. Collects light
• C. Reflects light
• D. Focuses light onto the retina

Answer: (A)

The eyepiece’s job is to magnify the image created by the primary mirror. In a reflecting telescope, the large curved mirror collects and reflects light to form a real image at the focal point. The eyepiece lens then acts like a magnifying glass, enlarging that image so you can see more detail. It isn’t responsible for collecting or reflecting light—that’s the mirror’s role—and it doesn’t directly focus light onto the retina; your eye focuses the magnified image onto the retina. The overall magnification depends on the focal lengths of the eyepiece and the primary mirror.