The Theory of Optical Instruments (Classic Reprint) - Hardcover

E. T. Whittaker

9780260406804: The Theory of Optical Instruments (Classic Reprint)

Hardcover

ISBN 10: 0260406805 ISBN 13: 9780260406804

Publisher: Forgotten Books, 2018

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Foundations of optical instruments and image formation you can trust

This book surveys how light behaves, from basic rays and wave-fronts to real-world instruments. It explains how images are formed, how surfaces bend light, and how optical defects affect clarity and accuracy.

In clear, process‑oriented chapters, you’ll encounter:

The nature of light, wave-fronts, and refraction at surfaces
How reflection and refraction create images and affect magnification
Key concepts like aplanatism, coma, spherical aberration, and the sine and Fraunhofer conditions
Practical topics such as microscope objectives, numerical aperture, immersion optics, and diffraction limits
The prism spectroscope and other optical instruments used to analyze light

You’ll gain a structured view of why lenses fail and how designers correct errors, with specific discussions of microscopes, telescopes, and spectroscopic devices.
Ideal for readers of engineering, physics, and optics who want a solid, worked‑through understanding of optical instruments and image quality.

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