Angular Resolution: Best Possible Observing Distance for Stars

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The best angular resolution for observing distant stars is primarily determined by the aperture diameter and the wavelength of light being observed. A perfect optical instrument would achieve diffraction-limited resolution, which is defined by the Airy disk concept. However, ground-based telescopes face additional limitations due to atmospheric seeing, which can distort the signal more than the instrument's diffraction limit. This atmospheric turbulence significantly impacts the quality of observations compared to space-based telescopes. Understanding these factors is crucial for optimizing astronomical observations.
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Supposing a perfect optical instrument, what is the best angular resolution possible when observing distant stars?
 
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You may want to read up on the concept of "diffraction limited telescope".
 
intervoxel said:
Supposing a perfect optical instrument, what is the best angular resolution possible when observing distant stars?

The depends almost entirely upon the diameter of the aperture and the wavelength you are asking about.

http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Airy_disk
 
The previous answers are entirely correct, but also note that ground-based telescopes (as apposed to space-based) are often more limited by 'seeing' than the diffraction limit. Atmospheric Seeing is deterioration of the signal based on variations (turbulence, etc) in the atmosphere.
 

Thread 'Luminous Fast Blue Optical Transients (LFBOTs)'

UC Berkely, December 16, 2025 https://news.berkeley.edu/2025/12/16/whats-powering-these-mysterious-bright-blue-cosmic-flashes-astronomers-find-a-clue/ AT 2024wpp, a luminous fast blue optical transient, or LFBOT, is the bright blue spot at the upper right edge of its host galaxy, which is 1.1 billion light-years from Earth in (or near) a galaxy far, far away. Such objects are very bright (obiously) and very energetic. The article indicates that AT 2024wpp had a peak luminosity of 2-4 x...
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