Cool is Hot: The EM Spectrum, Infrared Radiation, and Infrared Astronomy D. Backman SOFIA Outreach / SETI Institute / NASA Ames CSTA / NSTA-WestDecember 4, 2014

Outline: Outline:  Electromagnetic spectrum  Focus on infrared  SOFIA – Stratospheric Observatory for Infrared Astronomy  Active Astronomy classroom kits  Airborne Astronomy Ambassadors program

Sir William Herschel: Discovery of infrared radiation (1800)

Build your own Herschel demo

The full electromagnetic spectrum … Making Light of it All!

Riding the Wave  Light is a wave of electromagnetic energy  The wavelength of light defines its radiation band (X-ray, or Infrared, or Visible or …)

Wavelength, Frequency, Speed:  = c (or w) = wavelength (length: meters, m) (or f) = frequency (cycles per sec: s -1, Hertz or Hz) c = speed (meters per second: m/s, m s -1 ) THIS FORMULA HOLDS TRUE FOR ANY WAVE BECAUSE SPEED ‘c’ IS CONSTANT, and  HAVE A RECIPROCAL RELATIONSHIP

Each part of the spectrum impacts our daily lives… “Invisible” Light in Society Microwave ovens Communications Remote controls X-rays Solar UV

Reprise electromagnetic spectrum:

View through NEAR-INFRARED “night vision” goggles ( microns)

Views through Mid-IR (a.k.a. Thermal-IR) cameras

Representational-color views through a MID-INFRARED camera (8-14 microns)

Representing invisible light is as much “art” as “science.”

Getting a more complete picture of the Universe: Constellation Orion left: visual wavelength view right: far-infrared view

EARTH’S ATMOSPHERE: OPACITY VERSUS WAVELENGTH Gamma-rayX-rayUVInfraredRadio BUT THERE’S A PROBLEM … Earth’s atmospheric water vapor absorbs almost all incoming infrared radiation. Even mountain-top observatories get a limited view of the infrared universe.

Thermal-IR image of Earth from meteorology satellite

SOFIA -- The Next Generation Airborne Observatory First science flight was in 2010 Goal: hr science flights per year, 20-yr lifetime 2-4 weeks per year in southern hemisphere deployments 2.5-meter (100-inch) diameter telescope in a Boeing 747SP Based at NASA-Armstrong facility in southern Calif., with mission science center at NASA-Ames in northern Calif. 20% share with the German space agency DLR

SOFIA – the observatory Open cavity (door not shown) TELESCOPE Pressure bulkhead Scientific instrument (1 of 6) Scientist work stations, telescope and instrument control, etc. Educator work stations

Jupiter Galaxy M82 SOFIA’s “First Light” images

Images of the Milky Way Galaxy’s nucleus SOFIA: mid-IRHubble: near-IR [Only massive central star cluster is seen.] Ring of molecular clouds orbiting central supermassive black hole.

Active Astronomy (“AA”)classroom kit Middle School physical science / High School physics * Supports 4 activities comparing and contrasting * Supports 4 activities comparing and contrasting visual & infrared light; * Teachers’ guide includes curricular material, * Teachers’ guide includes curricular material, pre-/post-tests, parts list, suggested vendors. Available for downloading at: SOMETIMES available for purchase (at cost) from the Astronomical Society of the Pacific (ASP):  Noel Encarnacion (ASP Customer Service Manager)

AA classroom kit, continued Four activities:  What’s Getting Through To You (EM spectrum, colors, bandpasses) > Light Filters (Gels)  Seeing the Invisible (detecting infrared light) > Detector Circuit & Holographic Grating  Reflection of Visual and Infrared Light > Mirror and Detector Circuit  Listening to Light (transmitting information using infrared light) > CD player, Transmitter Circuit, Detector Circuit

Mary Blessing, Herndon, Va. Cris DeWolf, Remus, Mich. with Dana Backman (SETI) Pamela Harman (SETI) with Margaret Piper, Frankfort, Ill. Kathleen Fredette, Palmdale, CA Terry Herter (Cornell), Jim De Buizer (USRA) with Theresa Paulsen, Mellen, Wis. and Marita Beard, San Jose, Calif. Cecilia Scorza (DSI) with Wolfgang Vieser, Munich, Germany Jörg Trebs, Berlin, Germany Airborne Astronomy Ambassadors 2011 pilot program (“Cycle 0”): Six Educators from the U.S., Two from Germany

 * About 50 educators per year expected to fly on SOFIA in full-scale program - Classroom teachers - Planetarium & science center staff - Community college faculty - Amateur astronomers with robust public outreach programs  - Apply as teams of 2; one member of the team must be a currently active middle- or high school science teacher.  * Next application opportunity: OPEN NOW!   (SOFIA page on SETI Institute’s website) AIRBORNE ASTRONOMY AMBASSADORS

For further information:  SOFIA Science Center home page & main Education page (PDF copy of these slides available there next Monday)  Spitzer Space Telescope’s award-winning infrared tutorial  Printed resource list available here  Contact the presenter:

Further information & resources:  SOFIA Science Center home page & main Education page (PDF copy of these slides available there next Monday)  Spitzer Space Telescope’s award-winning infrared tutorial  Printed resource list available here in the workshop (and on SOFIA main Education page next Monday) (and on SOFIA main Education page next Monday)  Contact the presenter(I am happy to videocon w/ your students):