Deep Space Astronomy

Galaxy Clusters:

Groups of galaxies scattered around the universe.

These are galaxy clusters and separate galaxies taken by long-range telescope. The area of the sky covered is less than the diameter of the moon.

Galaxies:

Large systems of stars, gas, and dust

1. Composition: Made up of many billions of stars and large areas of gas and dust 2. Size: Can be 100,000 light years in diameter, 10,000 light years thick at the core The name of our galaxy

3. The Milky Way:

Our Sun is a Star!

Stars:

Objects in space that emit their own light.

Composition:

Stars are mainly H and He,

with some heavier elements

present.

Energy:

Nuclear Fusion: (Hydrogen coming together to form Helium) occurs in the core to produce the energy given off by all stars.

Star Life Cycle: Stars are like humans. They are born, live and then die Nebula: Mass of gas and dust

New, just forming Protostar: star from first nuclear fusion reaction with Hydrogen (H)

Mature star:

Current stage of our sun as a Main Sequence star

The next stage of our Red Giant: Sun as it uses up its fuel (H), it begins to swell (nova).

Last stage of our Sun before it cools White Dwarf: and eventually becomes a cold black dwarf star.

Supernova:

The explosive death of a massive star this will not happen to our Sun!

The life cycle of stars depends on their mass. 1. Small and medium stars become black dwarves once they die. 2. Larger stars become novae and die as: neutron stars 3. The most massive stars become supernovae and die as: black holes Neutron Star: Star with density so great that a teaspoon of material weighs several thousand tons Body of infinite density and gravity so great that not even light can escape.

Black Hole:

Classifying Stars:

Organizing stars into groups based on similar characteristics.

Decreasing Wavelength

Increasing Wavelength

The Electromagnetic Spectrum ~ ESRT page 14

ELECTROMAGNETIC (EM) WAVES

EM waves can transfer energy through a medium or in space. All EM waves travel at 300,000 km/sec in a vacuum. They change speeds in different mediums. (We see it as refraction) Different EM waves have different wavelengths and frequencies.

Electromagnetic Waves

Electromagnetic waves are also called transverse waves. TRANSVERSE WAVE

As wavelength Decreases, frequency Increases.

All matter gives off electromagnetic energy unless its temperature is at absolute zero, which is theoretically the lowest possible temperature (0 K temp where there is no molecular
motion in matter)

How does this relate to stars? All stars give off EM energy in many different wavelengths.

Star Spectrums
Star spectrum: Pattern of lines that shows the chemical makeup of a star.

Spectroscope:

Instrument used to study the spectrum of stars and individual elements.

Bright Line Spectrum

Different wavelengths that appear as bright lines at different places on the spectral field

Each element/atom has its own unique bright line spectra ~ fingerprint Produced by the chemical element in the form of a glowing gas/vapor

Original spectrum exactly as observed by the telescope. Colors are not recorded, only intensity and wavelength.

Here, color is added to emphasize visually that different wavelengths correspond to different colors.

The Doppler Shift

Apparent change in the wavelength of light (or sound) that occurs when an object is moving toward or away from the observer.

1. Red shift: 2. Blue shift:

Galaxies moving away from us show a shift in their spectrum toward the RED end.
Galaxies moving toward us show a shift toward the BLUE end of the spectrum.

If an object is moving toward you, the EM waves get scrunched together ~ get shorter

If an object is moving away from you, the EM waves spread out ~ get longer

The Doppler Effect is

Evidence #1 in support of The Big Bang Theory

DOPPLER SPECTRUM

DOPPLER ANIMATION

Edwin Hubble:

In the late

1920s, Edwin Hubble discovered that ALL galaxies were red-shifted when

viewed from Earth, and are

moving away from each

other.

Since the spectrum for all galaxies show a red shift from Earth, we assume the universe is expanding

The greater the shift amount, the faster the galaxy is

moving away from us

The Big Bang Theory

The theory that the universe began as a cosmic explosion that occurred between 12 -14 billion years ago. The universe we live in today has evolved from this explosion of matter and energy.

The Big Bang Theory Evidence #2:

An echo of background radio wave radiation can still be detected by radio telescopes.

Measuring Distance in the Universe

1. The speed of light: 300,000 km/sec or 186,000 miles/sec. 2. The Light Year: The distance light travels in one year (4.5 million-million (trillion) miles).