1. To boldly go...
Exploring
Space
Tools and Techniques

2. Astronomy
It is the study of the physical and chemical properties of objects and matter outside the earth's atmosphere.

3. Space is the region beyond the Earth's atmosphere or beyond the solar system
~Merriam-Webster Dictionary
“Space is big. You just won't believe how vastly, hugely, mind- bogglingly big it is. I mean, you may think it's a long way down the road to the chemist's, but that's just peanuts to space.”
Douglas Adams
The Hitchhiker's Guide to the Galaxy
English humorist & science fiction novelist ( )

4. We look to the skies…
We receive electromagnetic radiation (EMR) on Earth from “out there”
Electromagnetic waves travel at the speed of light
300,000 kilometers/second or
186,000 miles/second
Now that’s fast!!
“It is impossible to travel faster than the speed of light, and certainly not desirable,
as one’s hat keeps blowing off.”
~ Woody Allen

5. The light we see…
We see in the visible light portion of the electromagnetic spectrum, with wavelengths from about 380 to 750 nanometers (nm)
The individual colors that make up white light comes out.
White light goes into a prism…
~750 nm
~380 nm

6. …and the light we don’t see

7. Replica of Galileo’s telescope
Optical
telescopes
At first, we used just our eyes.
But eventually, we developed tools…
Replica of Galileo’s telescope
Galileo improved upon a refracting telescope he heard about while in Venice in May, 1609.
He used this telescope to chart the phases of Venus and describe the 4 major moons of Jupiter. He drew the Pleiades, as well as the craters on the Moon.

8. Refracting telescopes use convex lenses to bend light to a focal point
Optical telescopes
Refracting telescopes use convex lenses to bend light to a focal point

9. Optical telescopes
Sir Isaac Newton is credited with creating the first practical reflecting telescope in 1669.

10. Reflecting telescopes use curved mirrors to direct light
Optical
telescopes
Reflecting telescopes use curved mirrors to direct light

11. Other optical telescopes
Space-based observatories like the Hubble Space Telescope
The new James Webb Telescope
(coming soon to a solar system near you!)

12. Hubble Trouble
Hubble was placed in orbit in 1990, but had a faulty mirror.
Corrective mirrors were installed in 1993.
The difference was quite impressive….

13. Other optical telescopes
Land based observatories like the Sphinx Observatory in the Swiss Alps
European Extremely Large Telescope in Chile
Twin Keck Telescopes in Hawaii

14. Chandra X-Ray Observatory
Other Non-optical telescopes
Chandra X-Ray Observatory
Radio telescopes like the Very Large Array in New Mexico or the Arecibo Radio Telescope in Puerto Rico
These collect and record radio waves given off by some objects in space

15. Kepler Space Telescope Mission: To search a portion of our galaxy for exoplanets

16. Key Finding: NASA's Spitzer Confirms Closest Rocky Exoplanet
The view from the Spitzer Space Telescope
Mission Overview
Launched: Aug. 25, 2003
Goal: Provide a unique, infrared view of the universe and allow us to peer into regions of space that are hidden from optical telescopes.
Key Finding: NASA's Spitzer Confirms Closest Rocky Exoplanet