Page:Light waves and their uses.djvu/50

32 were so powerful as to endanger the specimen, or to introduce temperature variations which would vitiate the results of the measurement.

It is apparent from all that precedes that in all measurements by the microscope or the telescope we are, in fact, making use of the interference of light waves. Let us see, then, if we are making the best use of this interference, or whether it may not be possible to increase the high degree of accuracy already attained.

It has just been shown that, in the case of a telescope, the angular magnitude of the diffraction rings, and with this the accuracy of measurement of the position of the luminous point, depends only on the diameter of the objective. Now, the form of the fringes will of course vary with the form of the aperture, and if this be square instead of circular, the diffraction image will be represented by Fig. 26, which may be compared with Fig. 23. The width of the fringes is but little altered, while there is a perceptible increase in