resolving power

noun

Optics. the ability of an optical device to produce separate images of close objects.
Photography. the degree to which a lens or photographic emulsion is able to define the details of an image.

resolving power

Also calledresolution physics
1. the ability of a microscope, telescope, or other optical instrument to produce separate images of closely placed objects
2. the ability of a spectrometer to separate two adjacent peaks in a spectrum
photog the ability of an emulsion to show up fine detail in an image

First recorded in 1875–80

The resolving power of the interferometer is found to be somewhat more than double that of a telescope of the same aperture.

It is especially to be noticed that the resolving power does not depend directly upon the closeness of the ruling.

There is clearly no theoretical limit to the resolving power of gratings, even in spectra of given order.

The visibility of a star is a question of brightness simply, and has nothing to do with resolving power.

The resolving power and the width of the emergent beam fix the optical character of the instrument.

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