What is the minimum seperation of 2 stars that can be clearly resolved with a 1.5 meter telescope?

Question

If a 150 cm telescope can resolve 2 stars with a seperation of .85 arc seconds, what is the minimum seperation of 2 stars that can be clearly resolved with a 1.5 meter telescope? what is the minimum seperation called?

(note: this is a problem im working on for school, any help would be appreciated)-Thanks

Answer 1

1.5 mtr = 150 cm. OK?

You have already answer it that 150 cm can resolve 0.85"arc.

Minimum separation is called the telescope's 'resolution' or 'Resolving power', R  .

My source says

R ("arc) = 4.5 / 1 inch (Objective dia.)

=> 1.8 / 1 cm.

Therefore for 150 cm

R = 0.012"arc.

Answer 2

It scales inversely to the telescope size. Bigger telescope resolves smaller detail. 1.5 meter is 10 times as big so it resolves detail 10 times as small, so 0.085 arc seconds.