Radiation Radiation is any way in which energy is transmitted through space from one point to another. There is no need for any physical connection between those two locations. Question: Can you identify the parts of the wave?

Electromagnetic Spectrum  Gamma rays: 0.1 A – 0.1 nm  X-rays: 1 nm  Ultraviolet: nm  Visible light: nm  Radio and TV: 1 m

The universe: Visible light rays

The universe: gamma rays

The universe: X rays

Thermal Radiation  The hotter the object, the higher its temperature, the faster its constituent particles move and the more energy they radiate.  Intensity: the amount or strength of radiation.

Optical telescopes  Reflecting: Uses a curved mirror  Refracting: Uses a lens

Large Telescopes!  Largest telescope: Large Binocular Telescope  Location: Arizona  Two 8.4 m lenses have the light gathering capacity of an 11 m telescope and the detailing of a 22 m telescope.

Large Telescopes!  China and India are joining forces and money to build the largest telescope to be completed by 2018.

The Hubble Space Telescope  10X finer resolution and 30X greater sensitivity  Launched into space in 1990 and still operative

Local Observatory  George Observatory, Houston Museum of Natural Science George Observatory  Brazos Bend State Park (Near Sugar land, hour south of Houston)  Open Saturdays year round (Friday through Sunday during summer)  Price: Park entrance fee: $7 per person Planetarium: $3 Observatory Telescopes: $5

Imagine  You’re a scientist at NASA. You’ve just built the largest telescope in the world and it is set to launch into outer space next week. You’re very proud of it and you want to name it after an Astronomer that has greatly influenced your desire to work for NASA.  You name it after _________________ and when the media asks you ‘why?’ you say: ________________________________ ________________________________ ________________________________

New Technology  Changes in climate, wind, atmosphere cause “bad seeing”. Good seeing allows little distortion to the light we see.  Computers monitor and account for random and slight changes in the atmosphere so that we see a more detailed picture.

Radio Astronomy  Largest radio telescope: 105m West Virginia Collects radio waves instead of visible light waves  Must be large because of faint cosmic radio sources.  Advantages: Can be used 24/7 Allow us to see objects that don’t emit light

Infrared and Ultraviolet Astronomy  Good for viewing gases between ’s K  Best if used beyond our obscuring atmosphere.