2. Planets
do not
twinkle
because
they are
closer
and not
a single
point of
light.

6. We only see the visible range.
But stars give off energy in all the wavelengths!

7. Using light to discover information
about the universe.
There are two kinds:

8. Uses lens to collect the light.

10. Today’s refracting telescopes!

11. Reflecting telescope
Reflecting scope
Uses mirrors to collect lig

13. Spotting scope - A small
refractor to line up the
big scope.
Eyepiece for viewing
Today’s reflector

14. Mount Palomar
Observatory Hale Telescope
Inside Mt. Palomar Observatory
Large telescopes are put in observatories to
protect them.

15. Other scopes at Palomar
Look across the mountain tops!

16. 1. Mountain tops above atmospheric haze.
Reduces the twinkle effect and distortion.
2. Far from city lights ( light pollution).
3. If our atmosphere blocks the
wavelength needed to study, then
the scope goes into orbit!

17. Notice which wavelengths are blocked!

18. Notice the Great Lakes
Atlanta
The USA at night – notice the light pollution.
Where would you put a telescope?

19. High to “look through” less atmosphere
Mauna Kea, Hawaii – elevation 13,796 ft

20. Multi-mirror reflector in Hawaii

22. Infrared scope in Hawaii
Infrared scopes “look for” heat and
are best at locating new stars just
forming.

23. COBE -
An Infrared
scope that
is in orbit.
Infrared = heat
It has located very
important data
about the formation
of the universe.
Cosmic Background Explorer

24. The constellation of Orion in visible light
energy and infrared energy.
These two views see very different things in the
same area of the sky!

25. Radio Telescopes
Records radio waves
Sees to the
edges of the
universe

26. VLA
New
Mexico
Very Large Array uses multiple radio telescopes.

27. VLA from above.
They work as a unit
kind of like a fly’s eye.

28. Largest radio scope in the world in the top of an
extinct volcano! Puerto Rico

29. Records UV radiation.
Astronomers use this wave
length mostly to look at
and track what the sun is
doing.

30. Solar & Heliospheric Observatory
This spacecraft has an ultraviolet scope.

31. The sun in
different UV
wavelengths.

32. Records x ray emissions from
objects in “deep” space
Best for “looking” for black holes,
dying stars, and other strange
objects.
Must be above the atmosphere!

33. Chandra
X-Ray scope

34. X Rays from two
Black holes in one
Galaxy.

35. Due to their high energy content,
Gamma rays are able to cause serious damage
when absorbed by living cells.
Gamma rays are also able to penetrate dense materials.
Aren’t we glad our atmosphere blocks them!
These telescopes are looking for high
energy events: black holes, neutron
stars and quasars.

36. The Compton Gamma Ray Observatory
orbits the Earth, detecting high-energy
photons – GAMMA RAYS

37. Takes light from stars and
analyzes it.

38. Light from a star or other source goes through the slit.

39. Every element has
a different set of
spectrum lines.
Much like people
having different
fingerprints.

40. Emission spectrum
Krypton’s spectrum
Neon’s spectrum

43. Notice that emission and absorption are the same.