9.36: A Cassegrain telescope uses two mirrors as shown in the figure given below. Such a telescope is built with the mirrors 20 mm apart. If the radius of curvature of the large mirror is 220 mm and the small mirror is 140 mm, where will the final image of an object at infinity be?
Cassegrain telescope

Hint: Use the mirror formula.

Step 1: Find the virtual object distance for the secondary mirror.
A Cassegrain telescope consists of a concave and a convex mirror.

Distance between the objective mirror and the secondary mirror, d = 20 mm

The focal length of the objective mirror, f1=-R12=-110 mm

The focal length of the secondary mirror, f2=-R22=-1402=-70 mm

The image of an object placed at infinity, formed by the objective mirror, will act as a virtual object for the secondary mirror.

Hence, the virtual object distance for the secondary mirror, u = f1+d =- 110+20 = -90 mm

Step 2: Find the position of the final image.
Applying the mirror formula for the secondary mirror,

1f=1v+1u
-170=1v-190
1v=190-170=7-9630=-1315
v=-315 m

Hence, the final image will be formed 315 mm away from the secondary mirror.