1. A bit about me!
Dr. Belinda Wilkes, Professional Astrophysicist (Astronomer)
Smithsonian Astrophysical Observatory, Cambridge, Mass., USA
On contract to NASA to run Chandra X-ray Observatory (Hubble’s X-ray sister)
English, BSc St. Andrews, PhD Cambridge
In USA since 1982
May 2006April 2004
Belinda Wilkes

2. Astronomers learn by looking
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Belinda Wilkes

3. Life Cycle of a Star The Sun: our nearest star May 2006April 2004
Belinda Wilkes

4. Stars have different colors
B: blue – hottest
A: green – warm
C: red - cool
What can we measure?
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Belinda Wilkes

5. Color, Brightness + Count them
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Belinda Wilkes

6. What makes the Sun Shine?
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Belinda Wilkes

7. Where are Stars Born? Clusters: Pleiades
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Belinda Wilkes

8. Stellar Nurseries Optical Infrared: 30 Doradus in LMC
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Belinda Wilkes

9. Circumstellar Disks
Infrared
First image of dust disk, around 18th brightest star
25 light years away
Disk thought to be debris left from planet formation
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Belinda Wilkes

10. May 2006April 2004
Belinda Wilkes

11. Stellar Life Star burns fuel in its core (fusion: H→Helium)
Initially fuel is H, star is on Main Sequence “Adult” (e.g. The Sun)
When H runs out, core heats up and He, burns: “Middle Age” (Giant star)
then He runs out, it burns heavier elements, e.g. Fe
May 2006April 2004
Belinda Wilkes

12. HR Diagram shows age and mass
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Belinda Wilkes

13. Death of a Star When all fuel runs out, the core collapses
Outer regions of star explode outwards: Supernova
SN shine more brightly than a galaxy for a few hours/days
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Belinda Wilkes

14. We are made of stardust!
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Belinda Wilkes

15. Cassiopeia A: X-rays
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Belinda Wilkes

16. The Crab Nebula Chandra X-ray Observatory: X-ray
Hubble Space T/p: Optical
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Belinda Wilkes

17. Chandra X-ray Observatory
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Belinda Wilkes

18. What are X-rays?
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Belinda Wilkes

19. Focusing X-rays
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Belinda Wilkes

20. Launch: 23 July 1999 Space Shuttle Columbia
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Belinda Wilkes

21. STS-93 Shuttle Crew Commander: Eileen Collins Mission Spclst:
Cady Coleman
Astronomer:
Steve Hawley
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Belinda Wilkes

22. Supernovae by Chandra
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Belinda Wilkes