Which statement describes a practical advantage of refracting telescopes?

• A. They provide larger magnification
• B. Easy to maintain and won't misalign
• C. They are immune to misalignment
• D. They require less light

Answer: (B)

A practical advantage of refracting telescopes is that they are relatively easy to maintain and less prone to misalignment because the light travels through fixed lenses inside a rigid, sealed tube with few adjustable parts. This simple, stable optical path means the image stays reliable with normal handling, making setup straightforward for beginners. The idea that they inherently provide larger magnification isn’t guaranteed—the magnification comes from the eyepiece, not the telescope type. And while refractors are generally more stable, nothing is completely immune to misalignment if parts shift. They also don’t require less light; brightness depends mainly on the aperture and observing conditions, not the telescope type.