What key structural advantage allows reflecting telescope mirrors to be built significantly larger than refractor lenses?

Answer

Mirrors can be supported across their entire backs without sagging

Reflecting telescopes, which rely on mirrors invented by Isaac Newton, possess a crucial structural advantage over refractors. Lenses, especially large ones used in refractors, must be supported only around their edges. If a large lens is unsupported across its entire surface, the sheer weight of the glass causes it to deform or sag under gravity, which severely compromises image quality. In contrast, a primary mirror in a reflector can be fully supported from underneath across its entire back surface. This ability to provide robust, uniform support prevents gravitational distortion, making it practical and cost-effective to construct massive, large-aperture mirrors necessary for cutting-edge research.

What key structural advantage allows reflecting telescope mirrors to be built significantly larger than refractor lenses?

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