Light(ElectromagneticSpectrum)

and
Telescopes
[week2and3]

ATelescopeisatool
usedtogatherlightfrom
objectsintheuniverse

OBJECTIVES
OurObjective
Treatthetelescopesasaninstrument

Learntelescopeparameters
Whatmakesatelescopeuseful?
Telescopeoperation
Differenttelescopetypes

Therearetwodifferenttypesof
telescopes
Arefractingtelescopeusesaglasslensto
concentrateincominglight
Areflectingtelescopeusesmirrorsto
concentrateincomingstarlight

TelescopeOptics

TheRefractor
Objective (lens)
Common as small
telescopes

eyepiece

$$$ in large apertures

Superb image quality

40 Refractor

2.4 Amateur Refractor

TheNewtonianReflector

6 Amateur Newtonian
Common as amateur
telescopes
Lower cost
Simple optical design
Good image quality

Central
obstruction

TheCassegrainReflector

Large f-number in small package

F/10 in a 24 long tube
Good imagery for large f/#
Design used in large telescopes

TheSchmidtCassegrain
Corrector plate

Spherical
primary
mirror

8 Schmidt Cassegrain

Large f-number in small package

F/10 in a 24 long tube
Good imagery for large f/#
Better spherical aberration control

ChromaticAberration
TheProblem

ChromaticAberration
TheSolution

SphericalAberration

SphericalAberration

A ____________ telescope uses a

lens to concentrate incoming light

Reflectingtelescopesusemirrorsto
concentrateincomingstarlight

Threemainfunctions(Powers)
ofaTelescope
Mostimportant!!

LGP Area

LightGatheringPower:biggerapertureis
bettermakingobjectsappearbrighter
followedby
ResolvingPower:toseefinedetail

(nm)
wavelength (nm)
.2516
d (mm)
diameter (mm)

RP(in arcsec) =

andleastimportant,
MagnifyingPower:
magnification=M

2
d
4

fo
fe

SENSITIVITY
HOWMUCHLIGHTCANTHETELESCOPEGATHER
DEPENDSONTHE
APERTURE
SIZEOFTHEMIRROROR
LENS

LightGatheringPower
ThePowerofaTelescope
eye

Eye behind telescope

TelescopeResolvingPower
Star

Double Star

DIFFRACTION

RESOLUTIONANDTHEAIRYDISC

RESOLUTION
=4.56/D
istheseparationinarcseconds
Disthediameteroflens/mirror
ininches

A larger
objective lens
provides a
brighter (not
bigger) image

Magnification
Magnification = Telescope focal length eyepiece focal length
2000 mm 76 mm = 78 X

2000 mm 10 mm = 200 X

2000 mm 1 mm = 2000X

Maximum useful magnification:

- 60X per 1 of aperture
Practical magnification depends on
- Optics and seeing

TheJobofaTelescope
See faint objects - Light gathering power

See detail on objects - Resolving power

Magnify otherwise small objects - Magnification

Reflectingtelescopesusemirrorsto
concentrateincomingstarlight

AdvantagesandDisadvantagesof
VariousTelescopes
SeeOneMinuteAstronomerworksheetand
notesbelowpreviousslide.

Ifyoupasswhitelightthroughaprism,
itseparatesintoitscomponentcolors.
long wavelengths
R
O
Y
G
B
I
V
short wavelengths

spectrum

Butvisiblelightisonlyone
typeofelectromagnetic
radiation(light)emittedby
stars

Astronomers are truly

interested in the entire
spectrum of Light!

Consider This Class as Seen in Different Wavelengths of Light!

Consider Orion as Seen in Different Wavelengths of Light!

Observationsatotherwavelengthsare
revealingpreviouslyinvisiblesights
UV

infrared

Map of
Orion
region

Ordinary
visible

Hubble Space Telescope Views of Orion Nebula showing stars hidden in clouds

http://oposite.stsci.edu/pubinfo/pr/97/13/A.html

TODAYS Sun as seen in visible light from Earth and

from space in X-rays by satellites

Radiowavelengthobservations
arepossiblefromEarthssurface

TheVeryLargeArray(VLA)inNewMexico

OnesucharrayiscalledtheVeryLargeBaselineArray(VLBA):itconsistsoftenradio
telescopeswhichreachallthewayfromHawaiitoPuertoRico:nearlyathirdoftheway
aroundtheworld!ByputtingaradiotelescopeinorbitaroundtheEarth,radioastronomers

couldmakeimagesasiftheyhadaradiotelescopethesizeoftheentireplanet!

Whydosomestars,skyobjectsappeartotwinkle?

Differencesinthetemperatureanddensityofsmallportions
ofEarthsatmospherecausepassingstarlighttoquickly
changedirection,makingstarsappeartotwinkle.

Earthsatmospherehindersastronomicalresearch
Image of stars taken
with a telescope on
the Earths surface

Same picture taken with

Hubble Space Telescope
high above Earths blurring
atmosphere

Highabove
Earths
atmosphere,
theHubble
Space
Telescope
provides
stunning
detailsabout
theuniverse

 Hubble
orbitsthe
Earthatan
altitudeof
about353
milesand
in97
minutes.

Butvisiblelightisonlyone
typeofelectromagnetic
radiation(light)emittedby
stars

Astronomers are truly

interested in the entire
spectrum of Light!

Astronomers use different instruments to look at

light of different wavelengths - sometimes, we even
have to go above
Earths atmosphere.

Not all EM radiation can penetrate Earths atmosphere.

Whichisthecorrectreasoningforwhyagammaray
telescopelocatedinAntarcticathatistobeusedto
lookforevidenceofblackholesinthecentersof
galaxieswouldnotgetfunded?
A. Thereisnowaytodetectthepresence
ofablackhole.
B. Gammaraysaretooenergetictodetect
withatelescope.
C. Youcantbuildafunctioning
telescopeinAntarctica.
D. GammaraysdontpenetrateEarths
atmosphere.

Imagineyouretheheadofafunding
agencythathasaverytightbudgetfor
buildingatelescope.Whichofthethree
proposedtelescopesbelowwouldbebestto
support?
A. AgammaraytelescopeinAntarctica
B. Aradiotelescopeinorbitabovethe
Earth
C. Avisibletelescopelocatedhighona
mountaininPeru
D. Anultraviolettelescopelocatedinthe
Mojavedesert

PoorSeeing:
Aberration
introduced
bytheAtmosphere

Aberrated

Ideal

ACTIVEOPTICS

ADAPTIVEOPTICSCORRECTSATMOSPHERICEFFECTS

ALTAZIMTHMOUNT

EQUATORIALMOUNT

TelescopeFieldofView
Moon=0.5 deg.

FieldofView=EyepieceapparentFOVMagnification
LargeMagnification=Smallfieldofview
SmallMagnification=LargeFieldofview

PlaneMirror
Normal:

i
AngleofIncidence
normal

AngleofReflection
r

i r

TheLawofReflection:

r i

Concave&ConvexMirrors
FocalLength:
Diverging(oflight):

Convex

Converging(oflight):

RadiusofCurvature:
Theradiusofcurvatureofthe
mirroristwicethe
focallength.

Concave

SnellsLaw

[TheLawofRefraction]
Refraction:Thebendingoflightthatoccurswhenitisincidentona
planesurface&isgoingfromonemediumtoanothermedium.Why
doesthishappen?
ANSWER:Becausethespeedoflightchangesinvariousmediums!
Normal:
AngleofIncidence:
AngleofRefraction:

SnellsLaw

(carpet&hardwoodanalogy)

Ifthelightslowsdown,whathappenstoitswavelength,frequencyand
color?(dotheystayconstant,increaseordecrease)
vf
Recall.

Differentcolorsoflighthavedifferentspeedsandthusbenddifferent
amounts.(n=v/c)
Iflightisgoingfromalessdensemediumtoamoredenseone,itbends
_____________thenormal.
Iflightisgoingfromamoredensemediumtoalessdenseone,it
bends
_____________fromthenormal.
BesuretoobserveSnellsLawinlabtodayasitexplainswhythe
lensesbendlightorrefractlight.

Diverging&ConvergingLenses
FocalLength:
RadiusofCurvature:
Theradiusofcurvatureofthe
mirroristwicethe
focallength.

RefractorandReflector
Mirror

Lens

QuestionfromLastWeek:
SphericalLensesarethemostcommontype
oflensandcompoundlenssystemsareused
tolessenthesphericalaberration.

Astrology:Thebeliefthatthe
positionsofthestarsandplanets
asseenfromEarthimpact
humanevents.

CONSTELLATIONS
(STARCHARTS)

Usethewinter
triangletofind
constellations
duringwinter
evenings

Anyone recognize any shapes here?

StarNames
Betelgeuse
Aldebaran

Rigel
SIRIUS

UsingOriontofindotherobjects

Pleiades

Aldebaran

Great Orion Nebula

Sirius

Pleiades

Seven
Sisters

Subaru

Usethe
Big
Dipperin
the
northern
skyasa
wayto
findother
groupsof
stars&
north

HowtofindstuffintheskyStarCharts
http://skymaps.com/
http://www.fourmilab.ch/yoursky/cities.html
http://www.astro.wisc.edu/~dolan/constellations/constellationjavalist.html