Ngo-1611, isazi ngeenkwenkwezi saseJamani uKepler wathatha iziqwenga ezibini zelensi yelensi njengenjongo kunye neso liso, ukukhulisa ngokucacileyo kuphuculwe, kamva abantu bajonga le nkqubo yokukhanya njengeteleskopu yeKepler.

Ngo-1757, uDu Grand ngokufunda iglasi kunye nokuchaswa kwamanzi kunye nokusasazeka, waseka isiseko sethiyori yelensi ye-achromatic, kwaye wasebenzisa isithsaba kunye neeglasi zelitye zokwenza ilensi ye-achromatic. Ukusukela ngoko, iTelescope yeRefractor ye-achromatic ithathe indawo ngokupheleleyo yesipili somzimba weteleskopu ende.

Ekupheleni kwenkulungwane yeshumi elinesithoba, kunye neteknoloji yokuvelisa iphuculwe, ukwenza umgangatho omkhulu weteleskopu ephindaphindayo kunokwenzeka, emva koko kwenziwa uvuthondaba olukhulu lweRefractor Telescope. Omnye wabona bamele kakhulu yayiyiteleskopu ye-Ekes enobubanzi obuyi-102 cm ngo-1897 kunye neteleskopu yaseRick enobubanzi obuyi-91 cm ngo-1886.

Iteleskopu ephindaphindayo ineengenelo zobude bojoliso, isikali sepleyiti sikhulu, ukugoba ityhubhu akukhathali, eyona iwufaneleyo umsebenzi wokulinganisa ngeenkwenkwezi. Kodwa ihlala inombala oshiyekileyo, kwangaxeshanye kwi-ultraviolet, ukufunxa kwimitha ye-infrared kunamandla kakhulu. Ngelixa inkqubo enkulu yokugalela iglasi yokukhanya inzima, kwiteleskopu yeYerkes refracting telescope eyakhiwa ngo-1897, uphuhliso lufikelele encotsheni, ukusukela kule minyaka ilikhulu akuzange kubekho teleskopu enkulu yokuphinda ibonakale.