Final answer:
Telescopes improve our ability to see faint and distant objects by collecting more light, which enhances image resolution and angular resolution, allowing greater detail to be observed. Reflecting telescopes use mirrors, while refracting telescopes use lenses, and both can suffer from aberrations that affect the image quality.
Step-by-step explanation:
Telescopes allow us to see fainter objects and improve the resolution of images by collecting more light from astronomical sources. The resolution of a telescope refers to its ability to distinguish fine details in an image, often described as the smallest angular features that can be distinguished. Larger apertures in telescopes result in sharper images, allowing astronomers to observe fainter objects that are typically farther away and thus provide insight into earlier periods of the universe. Angular resolution is a measure of the telescope's ability to distinguish two objects that are close together in the sky; the smaller the angular resolution, the finer the details that can be observed. The angular magnification of a telescope improves our view of distant objects. This magnification is calculated using the focal lengths of the telescope's objective and eyepiece, enhancing the viewed image over what would be seen with the unaided eye. Refracting telescopes use lenses, while reflecting telescopes use mirrors to collect and focus light. Aberrations can affect image quality but are minimized with advanced optical designs and technologies.