Space Tools 4.10 Here is a satellite image of the east coast of the United States at night. This is a satellite image because the space technology is orbiting Earth.

Space Technology Astronomers use telescopes, satellites, space probes, and spectroscopes to make observations and collect data about objects in the solar system and outside the solar system. These tools and technology allow astronomers to analyze and interpret data to learn about the solar system, the Milky Way galaxy, and the Universe.

All observe and measure different types of energy *Telescopes These are the 3 main types of telescopes: Be sure to know the advantages and limitations of each tool: Refracting and reflecting “optical” telescopes using light Radio Telescopes Infrared and x-ray telescopes All observe and measure different types of energy Radio Telescope Optical Telescope The Hubble Telescope in Space!

TELESCOPES: is an instrument used to enlarge the image of a distant object. 2 TYPES OF TELECOPES ARE REFRACTING AND REFLECTING - Both are Optical telescopes: collect visible light, they use convex lens or mirrors to focus the light producing larger, brighter images of distant objects in space.

Refracting Optical Telescope Use convex & concave lenses (lens curving outward) to focus the light to appear larger of distant objects in space

Advantages to Refracting Telescopes Refractor telescopes are rugged (do not need to be realigned often). The glass surface inside the tube is sealed from the atmosphere so it rarely needs cleaning. Since the tube is closed off from the outside, air currents and effects due to changing temperatures are eliminated. This means that the images are steadier and sharper than those from a reflector telescope of the same size.

Drawbacks to Refracting Telescopes The lens is supported only around the edges. Light of different wavelengths comes to a focus in different places. It is difficult to make a glass lens with no imperfections inside the lens.                                                                                         

Reflecting Optical Telescopes Use mirrors AND lenses to focus the light larger of distant objects in space.

- Reflecting Telescope: has two mirrors - Reflecting Telescope: has two mirrors. The primary mirror is a large concave mirror that receives the image and reflects it to a secondary mirror. The Hubble Space Telescope is a powerful orbiting telescope that provides sharper images of heavenly bodies than other telescopes do. It is a reflecting telescope with a light-gathering mirror 94 inches http://hubblesite.org/hubble_discoveries/hubble_deep_field/

Reflecting Optical Telescope Advantages The mirror in a reflector can be supported not only around the edges, but also all over the back surface. That means that very large mirrors can be placed into telescopes. Reflector telescopes are cheaper to make than refractors of the same size

Reflecting Optical Telescope Disadvantages It is easy to get the optics out of alignment. A reflector telescope's tube is open to the outside and the optics need frequent cleaning.

It can receive information in any weather and during day or night. ANOTHER TYPE OF TELECOPE IS THE RADIO TELESCOPE Receive radio waves emitted from objects in space, including from very distant stars and galaxies It can receive information in any weather and during day or night. Used in tracking and collecting data from satellites and space probes

Other Telescopes Other telescopes can “read” infrared or x-ray energy signals but have to be placed where Earth’s atmosphere does not block or absorb the signals. X-ray telescope Infrared telescope

Electromagnetic Spectrum

http://amazing-space. stsci http://amazing-space.stsci.edu/resources/explorations/light/CatchWaves_frames.html Right Click on each picture to open up the link for detailed information.

Soviet Union (Russia) launched the first satellite into orbit in 1957. SATELLITES: is any natural or artificial object that revolves around an object in space Used for communications, navigation, collecting weather data, research and military purposes. Are placed in orbit around Earth with instruments and telescopes that collect info from space and are not hampered by Earth’s atmosphere. Give off signals that can be picked up by small receivers on Earth. Soviet Union (Russia) launched the first satellite into orbit in 1957.

Geosynchronous orbit – Satellites that revolves around the Earth at the same rate that Earth rotates Used to relay television signals and map weather patterns. A north to south satellite represents a spy satellite!

These are famous satellites orbiting and studying the Sun These are famous satellites orbiting and studying the Earth

Sputnik 1 pioneered Soviet Sputnik program and ignited the so-called Space Race within the Cold War.

*Space Probes Space probes contain instruments to collect data and travel out of Earth’s orbit to explore places that would be too dangerous for astronomers such as other planets and beyond The instruments that a probe contains depends on the space mission Mars rover is still studying Mars today The Voyager space probe left Earth in the 1970s studied the outer planets and is still traveling farther and farther into space.

*Spectroscopes SPECTROSCOPES Collect the light from distant stars and separate that light into bands of different colors; by studying these bands, astronomers identify the elements in a star. Spectroscopes use color to identify the elements distant celestial objects are mad of This is what a spectroscope looks like