1. Module 3 – Nautical Science
Unit 4 – Astronomy
Chapter Astronomical Observations
Section 2 – The Radiotelescope

2. Demonstrate an understanding of astronomy and how it pertains to our solar system and its related bodies: Moon, Sun, stars and planets

3. Explain the discovery and development of the radiotelescope
Explain the special uses of the radiotelescope and give its purpose
Identify the methods for using balloon observatories

4. CPS Key Term Question 1

5. Key Terms Radiotelescope -
A system consisting of an antenna, either parabolic or dipolar, used to gather radio waves emitted by celestial sources and bring them to a receiver placed in the focus

6. What is a radiotelescope and how is it different from an ordinary telescope?

7. The Radiotelescope
Radiotelescope

8. The Radiotelescope
Radiotelescopes must be very sensitive to detect faint radio waves from space.
They are very large and do not require the precision of optical telescopes.

9. The Radiotelescope
The world's largest steerable radiotelescope, the Robert Byrd
at Green Bank,
West Virginia,
has a dish 328 feet
in diameter.

10. The Radiotelescope Radiotelescope at Jodrell Bank in Cheshire, England
Eifel Mountain near Bonn, Germany

11. The Radiotelescope
The world’s largest stationary radiotelescope has a diameter
of 1,000 feet.
Arecibo, Puerto Rico

12. Radiotelescope photography of Jupiter
The Radiotelescope
Radiotelescope photography of Jupiter
Jupiter: radio
(21 cm)
Jupiter: visible

13. National Radio Astronomy Observatory
The Radiotelescope
National Radio Astronomy Observatory
in Socorro, New Mexico
With this telescope’s
array of 30 receivers,
images of the radio
sky can be produced
to rival those of
optical telescopes.

14. The Radiotelescope A star map is also called a radio source map.
Some celestial bodies are too far away or too cold to radiate visible energy, and therefore do not correspond with an actual map of the stars.

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16. The Radiotelescope Sunspots and the corona of the Sun give off
radiowaves.

17. The Radiotelescope
A corona is a white or colored circle or set of concentric circles of light seen around a luminous body like the Sun.

18. The Radiotelescope
Pulsars are rapidly rotating compressed stars in the last stages of stellar life.
Pulsar
Quasar

19. Composition of the Cosmos
The Radiotelescope
Composition of the Cosmos
Spectroscopes and radioscopes have found that hydrogen and helium make up 99% of all matter in the universe.
Heavy Elements: 0.03%
Ghostly Neutrinos: 0.3%
Stars: 0.5%
Free Hydrogen and Helium: 4%
Dark Matter: 30% (Hydrogen)
Dark Energy: 65% (Hydrogen)

20. The Radiotelescope
No matter where astronomers have searched in space, the universe appears to be made up of the same elements.

21. The Radiotelescope
Radiotelescopes have also found molecules such as amino acids in space.
No optical device could have accomplished this feat.
Amino Acids

22. Special Uses of the Radiotelescope
By equipping a radiotelescope with a transmitter, scientists are able to direct powerful radio beams at a celestial object and then receive them when they rebound toward Earth.
Radiotelescope
Transmitter
Radiotelescopes equipped with such transmitters are often called radar telescopes.

23. Special Uses of the Radiotelescope
Because radio waves travel at the speed of light, radar telescopes can furnish accurate data about the distance of celestial bodies near Earth.

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25. Special Uses of the Radiotelescope
By using various wavelengths, information about the composition of these bodies can be obtained.

26. Special Uses of the Radiotelescope
Radiotelescope technology has also showed that not all radio waves from space come from swirling, excited gases and celestial bodies.
A particular kind of wave was found to be emitted by the cool, quiet hydrogen clouds
strewn throughout space.

27. Special Uses of the Radiotelescope
Mapping these hydrogen radio signals has enabled astronomers to see that our Milky Way galaxy is shaped like a pinwheel.
Globula
Clusters
Arms
Sun
Halo
Nucleus
It rotates, carrying the Sun and the planets with it.

28. Special Uses of the Radiotelescope
Radiotelescopes have also been used to control and receive data from spacecraft exploring our solar system.

29. Airborne Observations
Balloon observatories
can go 20 miles above the Earth's surface, eliminating 99 percent of the Atmosphere interference.

30. Airborne Observations
Much of the distortion is eliminated when using a balloon observatory.

31. Airborne Observations
Advantages to using Balloons:
Cheaper than spacecraft
Easily carries people aloft in gondolas
Carries up to 2 tons of equipment and instruments
Brings photos and findings directly back to Earth

32. Airborne Observations
There are also a few disadvantages to using balloons:
Difficulty in stabilization
Observational distortions caused by the upper atmosphere
Lack of self propulsion

33. Airborne Observations
MIR
Astrophysicists and astronomers in recent years have used space-based platforms for celestial observation.

34. Discuss how radiotelescopes are used to observe celestial bodies.

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