Dr.Tigran Khanzadyan (NUIG)
Looking at the Universe
through Infrared
Spectacles
Overview
• Discovery of Infrared
• Waves and frequencies
• Infrared in our life
• Infrared Astronomy and it’s limitations
• Hidden Universe revealed
• Types of Infrared and the actual discoveries
• Future of Infrared Astronomy
Infrared?
• What do you associate with this name?
Infrared?
• What do you associate with this name?
NightVision?
Infrared?
• What do you associate with this name?
NightVision?
Missile guidance system?
Infrared?
• What do you associate with this name?
NightVision?
Missile guidance system?
How about the weather?
Discovery of Infrared
Discovery of Infrared
• In 1800 Herschel made
the discovery of
“calorific rays" during
his famous experiment.
Sir Frederick William Herschel
(1738-1822)
Discovery of Infrared
• In 1800 Herschel made
the discovery of
“calorific rays" during
his famous experiment.
• “Calorific rays” were
later renamed infrared
rays - which means
below red (from the
Latin infra, "below")
Sir Frederick William Herschel
(1738-1822)
Herschel’s Experiment
Herschel’s Experiment
Herschel’s Experiment
Herschel’s Experiment
Herschel’s Experiment
Herschel’s Experiment
in 1 min
Herschel’s Experiment
in 1 min
in 2 min
Herschel’s Experiment
in 1 min
in 2 min in 3 min
Herschel’s Experiment
in 1 min
in 2 min in 3 min
In the beginning all 3
thermometers show 76 F
Final readings are:
thermometer 1 = 80F
thermometer 2 = 83F
thermometer 3 = 86F ?!
Herschel’s
measurements
Herschel’s
measurements
• He measured the temperatures of the violet,
blue, green, yellow, orange and red light and
noticed that all of the colours had
temperatures higher than in the beginning.
Herschel’s
measurements
• He measured the temperatures of the violet,
blue, green, yellow, orange and red light and
noticed that all of the colours had
temperatures higher than in the beginning.
• But the temperature of the colours increased
from the violet to the red part of the rainbow -
interesting!
Herschel’s
measurements
• He measured the temperatures of the violet,
blue, green, yellow, orange and red light and
noticed that all of the colours had
temperatures higher than in the beginning.
• But the temperature of the colours increased
from the violet to the red part of the rainbow -
interesting!
• He then measured the temperature just beyond
the red portion of the rainbow in a region
apparently devoid of sunlight - highest of all!
Right, but why?
Right, but why?
• It was strange that temperature in the shade
was higher than that of under the direct sun
light.
Right, but why?
• It was strange that temperature in the shade
was higher than that of under the direct sun
light.
• Herschel then concluded that some other sort
of light which can-not be seen is causing this
temperature rise.
Right, but why?
• It was strange that temperature in the shade
was higher than that of under the direct sun
light.
• Herschel then concluded that some other sort
of light which can-not be seen is causing this
temperature rise.
• He then discovered that this “invisible” light or
radiation can be reflected, refracted, absorbed
and transmitted just like the visible light.
Right, but why?
• It was strange that temperature in the shade
was higher than that of under the direct sun
light.
• Herschel then concluded that some other sort
of light which can-not be seen is causing this
temperature rise.
• He then discovered that this “invisible” light or
radiation can be reflected, refracted, absorbed
and transmitted just like the visible light.
• So there is an invisible light beyond the red!
Waves ...
• Waves can be slow or fast and therefore can be
more or less frequent - we call it frequency of
the waves.
Waves ...
• Waves can be slow or fast and therefore can be
more or less frequent - we call it frequency of
the waves.
• When the waves are small they are more
frequent and when the waves are big they are
less frequent.
Waves ...
• Waves can be slow or fast and therefore can be
more or less frequent - we call it frequency of
the waves.
• When the waves are small they are more
frequent and when the waves are big they are
less frequent.
• We say that the frequency of waves is inversely
proportional to the size of waves.
Waves ...
• Waves can be slow or fast and therefore can be
more or less frequent - we call it frequency of
the waves.
• When the waves are small they are more
frequent and when the waves are big they are
less frequent.
• We say that the frequency of waves is inversely
proportional to the size of waves.
• We know that the light is also a wave, and
every wave has it’s height and length.
Waves ...
Wavelength and
Frequency
Wavelength and
Frequency
• Wavelength is the distance between individual
waves (e.g. from one peak to another).Visible
light - 400 to 700 billionths of a meter - or 400
to 700 nanometers (nm).
Wavelength and
Frequency
• Wavelength is the distance between individual
waves (e.g. from one peak to another).Visible
light - 400 to 700 billionths of a meter - or 400
to 700 nanometers (nm).
• The frequency is the number of waves which
pass a point in space each second. Visible light -
430 trillion waves per second (red) to 750
trillion waves per second (violet).
Wavelength and
Frequency
• Wavelength is the distance between individual
waves (e.g. from one peak to another).Visible
light - 400 to 700 billionths of a meter - or 400
to 700 nanometers (nm).
• The frequency is the number of waves which
pass a point in space each second. Visible light -
430 trillion waves per second (red) to 750
trillion waves per second (violet).
• Light waves are waves of energy and the
amount of energy in a wave is proportional to
its frequency.
Electromagnetic spectra
Electromagnetic spectra
• We see only tiny portion of the spectra -
the visible part.
Electromagnetic spectra
• We see only tiny portion of the spectra -
the visible part.
• InfraRed is below the Red since it’s waves
are less frequent that of the Red light.
Electromagnetic spectra
• We see only tiny portion of the spectra -
the visible part.
• InfraRed is below the Red since it’s waves
are less frequent that of the Red light.
• Infrared spans from 0.7 micrometers to
about 350 micrometers (μm)
Present Day Infrared
Present Day Infrared
• Archeology, Animal Studies, Geology,Vegetation
and Soil, Meteorology, Oceanography …
Astronomy!
Present Day Infrared
• Archeology, Animal Studies, Geology,Vegetation
and Soil, Meteorology, Oceanography …
Astronomy!
• In Arts and History - reconstruction works
Present Day Infrared
• Archeology, Animal Studies, Geology,Vegetation
and Soil, Meteorology, Oceanography …
Astronomy!
• In Arts and History - reconstruction works
• Health & Safety - environmental monitoring,
Medicine, Fire Fighting, Search and Rescue,
Military, Law Enforcement
Present Day Infrared
• Archeology, Animal Studies, Geology,Vegetation
and Soil, Meteorology, Oceanography …
Astronomy!
• In Arts and History - reconstruction works
• Health & Safety - environmental monitoring,
Medicine, Fire Fighting, Search and Rescue,
Military, Law Enforcement
• Commercial applications - Maintenance of
Mechanical Systems, Electrical Systems, Heat
Loss in Structures, Navigation, Food Industry
Infrared Astronomy?
Infrared Astronomy?
• All objects emit infrared radiation.
Infrared Astronomy?
• All objects emit infrared radiation.
• Infrared Astronomy is the detection and study
of the infrared radiation (heat energy) emitted
from objects in the Universe.
Infrared Astronomy?
• All objects emit infrared radiation.
• Infrared Astronomy is the detection and study
of the infrared radiation (heat energy) emitted
from objects in the Universe.
• So, Infrared Astronomy involves the study of
just about everything in the Universe.
Infrared Astronomy?
• All objects emit infrared radiation.
• Infrared Astronomy is the detection and study
of the infrared radiation (heat energy) emitted
from objects in the Universe.
• So, Infrared Astronomy involves the study of
just about everything in the Universe.
• We need powerful infrared detectors, but there
is a dilemma - everything around us radiates in
infrared how we are going to “see” what’s out
there?
Cryogenics
Cryogenics
• So we need to keep our detectors
somewhere cold to prevent the
surrounding heat.
Cryogenics
• So we need to keep our detectors
somewhere cold to prevent the
surrounding heat.
• Here comes the Cryogenics - means
"the production of freezing cold".
Cryogenics
• So we need to keep our detectors
somewhere cold to prevent the
surrounding heat.
• Here comes the Cryogenics - means
"the production of freezing cold".
• All infrared detectors are placed in
the cryostats and cooled down.
Cryogenics
• So we need to keep our detectors
somewhere cold to prevent the
surrounding heat.
• Here comes the Cryogenics - means
"the production of freezing cold".
• All infrared detectors are placed in
the cryostats and cooled down.
• Now-days we cool down the
detectors up-to 10 Kelvin (-442 F)!
Cryogenics
• So we need to keep our detectors
somewhere cold to prevent the
surrounding heat.
• Here comes the Cryogenics - means
"the production of freezing cold".
• All infrared detectors are placed in
the cryostats and cooled down.
• Now-days we cool down the
detectors up-to 10 Kelvin (-442 F)!
Our Atmosphere
Our Atmosphere
• Water vapours prevent us from detecting
the radiation coming from the space in most
of the infrared bands.
Solution?
Solution?
We could build the
observatories in dry and
high places like Muna Kea
and many others.
Solution?
We could build the
observatories in dry and
high places like Muna Kea
and many others.
We could use
balloons, rockets
and aircrafts to go
even higher
Solution?
We could build the
observatories in dry and
high places like Muna Kea
and many others.
We could use
balloons, rockets
and aircrafts to go
even higher
Or we could
rise above
the
atmosphere IRAS MSXISO SPITZER
Constellation of Orion
Constellation of Orion
Jupiter
Jupiter
Hubble Space
Telescope
Orion Nebula
OMC-1
Hubble Space
Telescope
Orion Nebula
OMC-1
Sombrero Galaxy - M104
Sombrero Galaxy - M104
Why we need Infrared
in Astronomy?
Why we need Infrared
in Astronomy?
• By observing Infrared radiation the hidden
Universe can be revealed (as we observed a
minute ago).
Why we need Infrared
in Astronomy?
• By observing Infrared radiation the hidden
Universe can be revealed (as we observed a
minute ago).
• Infrared range is quite wide compared to the
visible light therefore we can potentially find
more objects of interest.
Why we need Infrared
in Astronomy?
• By observing Infrared radiation the hidden
Universe can be revealed (as we observed a
minute ago).
• Infrared range is quite wide compared to the
visible light therefore we can potentially find
more objects of interest.
• There are many objects in Universe which can
only be seen through the infrared “spectacles”.
Types of Infrared
Solar System Objects
and extraterrestrial
system
Stellar Nurseries
and related objects
Other galaxies
Future of Infrared
Astronomy
Future of Infrared
Astronomy
• Even though we have an enormous success
with the past and current Infrared telescopes
on the ground and in the space we still have
many unanswered questions and problems.
Future of Infrared
Astronomy
• Even though we have an enormous success
with the past and current Infrared telescopes
on the ground and in the space we still have
many unanswered questions and problems.
• At the moment there are several planned space
missions which we will use to fill the gaps in
our knowledge of universe, but surely future
will present us with the new challenges and
mysteries and we will plan more future
missions.
• Herschel discovered the Infrared Light.
• Presently Infrared technology is widely used in
every-day life.
• Infrared Astronomy reveals the hidden universe.
• Different types of objects can be studied using
the Infrared Technology advancing our
knowledge of the universe.
• Future of Infrared Astronomy is promising!
Thank you!
Questions?

Looking at the Universe through Infrared Spectacles

  • 1.
    Dr.Tigran Khanzadyan (NUIG) Lookingat the Universe through Infrared Spectacles
  • 2.
    Overview • Discovery ofInfrared • Waves and frequencies • Infrared in our life • Infrared Astronomy and it’s limitations • Hidden Universe revealed • Types of Infrared and the actual discoveries • Future of Infrared Astronomy
  • 3.
    Infrared? • What doyou associate with this name?
  • 4.
    Infrared? • What doyou associate with this name? NightVision?
  • 5.
    Infrared? • What doyou associate with this name? NightVision? Missile guidance system?
  • 6.
    Infrared? • What doyou associate with this name? NightVision? Missile guidance system? How about the weather?
  • 7.
  • 8.
    Discovery of Infrared •In 1800 Herschel made the discovery of “calorific rays" during his famous experiment. Sir Frederick William Herschel (1738-1822)
  • 9.
    Discovery of Infrared •In 1800 Herschel made the discovery of “calorific rays" during his famous experiment. • “Calorific rays” were later renamed infrared rays - which means below red (from the Latin infra, "below") Sir Frederick William Herschel (1738-1822)
  • 10.
  • 11.
  • 12.
  • 13.
  • 14.
  • 15.
  • 16.
  • 17.
    Herschel’s Experiment in 1min in 2 min in 3 min
  • 18.
    Herschel’s Experiment in 1min in 2 min in 3 min In the beginning all 3 thermometers show 76 F Final readings are: thermometer 1 = 80F thermometer 2 = 83F thermometer 3 = 86F ?!
  • 19.
  • 20.
    Herschel’s measurements • He measuredthe temperatures of the violet, blue, green, yellow, orange and red light and noticed that all of the colours had temperatures higher than in the beginning.
  • 21.
    Herschel’s measurements • He measuredthe temperatures of the violet, blue, green, yellow, orange and red light and noticed that all of the colours had temperatures higher than in the beginning. • But the temperature of the colours increased from the violet to the red part of the rainbow - interesting!
  • 22.
    Herschel’s measurements • He measuredthe temperatures of the violet, blue, green, yellow, orange and red light and noticed that all of the colours had temperatures higher than in the beginning. • But the temperature of the colours increased from the violet to the red part of the rainbow - interesting! • He then measured the temperature just beyond the red portion of the rainbow in a region apparently devoid of sunlight - highest of all!
  • 23.
  • 24.
    Right, but why? •It was strange that temperature in the shade was higher than that of under the direct sun light.
  • 25.
    Right, but why? •It was strange that temperature in the shade was higher than that of under the direct sun light. • Herschel then concluded that some other sort of light which can-not be seen is causing this temperature rise.
  • 26.
    Right, but why? •It was strange that temperature in the shade was higher than that of under the direct sun light. • Herschel then concluded that some other sort of light which can-not be seen is causing this temperature rise. • He then discovered that this “invisible” light or radiation can be reflected, refracted, absorbed and transmitted just like the visible light.
  • 27.
    Right, but why? •It was strange that temperature in the shade was higher than that of under the direct sun light. • Herschel then concluded that some other sort of light which can-not be seen is causing this temperature rise. • He then discovered that this “invisible” light or radiation can be reflected, refracted, absorbed and transmitted just like the visible light. • So there is an invisible light beyond the red!
  • 28.
  • 29.
    • Waves canbe slow or fast and therefore can be more or less frequent - we call it frequency of the waves. Waves ...
  • 30.
    • Waves canbe slow or fast and therefore can be more or less frequent - we call it frequency of the waves. • When the waves are small they are more frequent and when the waves are big they are less frequent. Waves ...
  • 31.
    • Waves canbe slow or fast and therefore can be more or less frequent - we call it frequency of the waves. • When the waves are small they are more frequent and when the waves are big they are less frequent. • We say that the frequency of waves is inversely proportional to the size of waves. Waves ...
  • 32.
    • Waves canbe slow or fast and therefore can be more or less frequent - we call it frequency of the waves. • When the waves are small they are more frequent and when the waves are big they are less frequent. • We say that the frequency of waves is inversely proportional to the size of waves. • We know that the light is also a wave, and every wave has it’s height and length. Waves ...
  • 33.
  • 34.
    Wavelength and Frequency • Wavelengthis the distance between individual waves (e.g. from one peak to another).Visible light - 400 to 700 billionths of a meter - or 400 to 700 nanometers (nm).
  • 35.
    Wavelength and Frequency • Wavelengthis the distance between individual waves (e.g. from one peak to another).Visible light - 400 to 700 billionths of a meter - or 400 to 700 nanometers (nm). • The frequency is the number of waves which pass a point in space each second. Visible light - 430 trillion waves per second (red) to 750 trillion waves per second (violet).
  • 36.
    Wavelength and Frequency • Wavelengthis the distance between individual waves (e.g. from one peak to another).Visible light - 400 to 700 billionths of a meter - or 400 to 700 nanometers (nm). • The frequency is the number of waves which pass a point in space each second. Visible light - 430 trillion waves per second (red) to 750 trillion waves per second (violet). • Light waves are waves of energy and the amount of energy in a wave is proportional to its frequency.
  • 37.
  • 38.
    Electromagnetic spectra • Wesee only tiny portion of the spectra - the visible part.
  • 39.
    Electromagnetic spectra • Wesee only tiny portion of the spectra - the visible part. • InfraRed is below the Red since it’s waves are less frequent that of the Red light.
  • 40.
    Electromagnetic spectra • Wesee only tiny portion of the spectra - the visible part. • InfraRed is below the Red since it’s waves are less frequent that of the Red light. • Infrared spans from 0.7 micrometers to about 350 micrometers (μm)
  • 41.
  • 42.
    Present Day Infrared •Archeology, Animal Studies, Geology,Vegetation and Soil, Meteorology, Oceanography … Astronomy!
  • 43.
    Present Day Infrared •Archeology, Animal Studies, Geology,Vegetation and Soil, Meteorology, Oceanography … Astronomy! • In Arts and History - reconstruction works
  • 44.
    Present Day Infrared •Archeology, Animal Studies, Geology,Vegetation and Soil, Meteorology, Oceanography … Astronomy! • In Arts and History - reconstruction works • Health & Safety - environmental monitoring, Medicine, Fire Fighting, Search and Rescue, Military, Law Enforcement
  • 45.
    Present Day Infrared •Archeology, Animal Studies, Geology,Vegetation and Soil, Meteorology, Oceanography … Astronomy! • In Arts and History - reconstruction works • Health & Safety - environmental monitoring, Medicine, Fire Fighting, Search and Rescue, Military, Law Enforcement • Commercial applications - Maintenance of Mechanical Systems, Electrical Systems, Heat Loss in Structures, Navigation, Food Industry
  • 52.
  • 53.
    Infrared Astronomy? • Allobjects emit infrared radiation.
  • 54.
    Infrared Astronomy? • Allobjects emit infrared radiation. • Infrared Astronomy is the detection and study of the infrared radiation (heat energy) emitted from objects in the Universe.
  • 55.
    Infrared Astronomy? • Allobjects emit infrared radiation. • Infrared Astronomy is the detection and study of the infrared radiation (heat energy) emitted from objects in the Universe. • So, Infrared Astronomy involves the study of just about everything in the Universe.
  • 56.
    Infrared Astronomy? • Allobjects emit infrared radiation. • Infrared Astronomy is the detection and study of the infrared radiation (heat energy) emitted from objects in the Universe. • So, Infrared Astronomy involves the study of just about everything in the Universe. • We need powerful infrared detectors, but there is a dilemma - everything around us radiates in infrared how we are going to “see” what’s out there?
  • 57.
  • 58.
    Cryogenics • So weneed to keep our detectors somewhere cold to prevent the surrounding heat.
  • 59.
    Cryogenics • So weneed to keep our detectors somewhere cold to prevent the surrounding heat. • Here comes the Cryogenics - means "the production of freezing cold".
  • 60.
    Cryogenics • So weneed to keep our detectors somewhere cold to prevent the surrounding heat. • Here comes the Cryogenics - means "the production of freezing cold". • All infrared detectors are placed in the cryostats and cooled down.
  • 61.
    Cryogenics • So weneed to keep our detectors somewhere cold to prevent the surrounding heat. • Here comes the Cryogenics - means "the production of freezing cold". • All infrared detectors are placed in the cryostats and cooled down. • Now-days we cool down the detectors up-to 10 Kelvin (-442 F)!
  • 62.
    Cryogenics • So weneed to keep our detectors somewhere cold to prevent the surrounding heat. • Here comes the Cryogenics - means "the production of freezing cold". • All infrared detectors are placed in the cryostats and cooled down. • Now-days we cool down the detectors up-to 10 Kelvin (-442 F)!
  • 63.
  • 64.
    Our Atmosphere • Watervapours prevent us from detecting the radiation coming from the space in most of the infrared bands.
  • 65.
  • 66.
    Solution? We could buildthe observatories in dry and high places like Muna Kea and many others.
  • 67.
    Solution? We could buildthe observatories in dry and high places like Muna Kea and many others. We could use balloons, rockets and aircrafts to go even higher
  • 68.
    Solution? We could buildthe observatories in dry and high places like Muna Kea and many others. We could use balloons, rockets and aircrafts to go even higher Or we could rise above the atmosphere IRAS MSXISO SPITZER
  • 69.
  • 70.
  • 76.
  • 77.
  • 78.
  • 79.
  • 83.
  • 84.
  • 86.
    Why we needInfrared in Astronomy?
  • 87.
    Why we needInfrared in Astronomy? • By observing Infrared radiation the hidden Universe can be revealed (as we observed a minute ago).
  • 88.
    Why we needInfrared in Astronomy? • By observing Infrared radiation the hidden Universe can be revealed (as we observed a minute ago). • Infrared range is quite wide compared to the visible light therefore we can potentially find more objects of interest.
  • 89.
    Why we needInfrared in Astronomy? • By observing Infrared radiation the hidden Universe can be revealed (as we observed a minute ago). • Infrared range is quite wide compared to the visible light therefore we can potentially find more objects of interest. • There are many objects in Universe which can only be seen through the infrared “spectacles”.
  • 90.
  • 91.
    Solar System Objects andextraterrestrial system
  • 98.
  • 108.
  • 113.
  • 114.
    Future of Infrared Astronomy •Even though we have an enormous success with the past and current Infrared telescopes on the ground and in the space we still have many unanswered questions and problems.
  • 115.
    Future of Infrared Astronomy •Even though we have an enormous success with the past and current Infrared telescopes on the ground and in the space we still have many unanswered questions and problems. • At the moment there are several planned space missions which we will use to fill the gaps in our knowledge of universe, but surely future will present us with the new challenges and mysteries and we will plan more future missions.
  • 117.
    • Herschel discoveredthe Infrared Light. • Presently Infrared technology is widely used in every-day life. • Infrared Astronomy reveals the hidden universe. • Different types of objects can be studied using the Infrared Technology advancing our knowledge of the universe. • Future of Infrared Astronomy is promising!
  • 118.