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SPACE SYSTEMS UNIT

Delve into the universe with astronomy, learn about galaxies, the electromagnetic spectrum, and how telescopes revolutionize our view of space. Discover the exciting missions of Voyager, Cassini, Hubble, and more.

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SPACE SYSTEMS UNIT

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  1. SPACE SYSTEMS UNIT Chapters 26 & 30

  2. 26.1 Viewing the Universe The Value of Astronomy • Astronomy: the scientific study of the universe • By observing the universe astronomers have: • Made exciting discoveries, such as new planets, stars, black holes, and nebulas • Been able to learn more about the origin of Earth and the processes involved in the formation of our solar system • Funded by federal agencies (NSF & NASA) as well as private foundations and industries

  3. LT 1: I can describe characteristics of the universe in terms of time, distance, and organization. • Cosmology: the study of the origin, properties, processes, and evolution of the universe. • Universe began about 14 Billion years ago in one giant explosion, The Big Bang • Universe is expanding and is very large and objects within it are very far apart.

  4. Organization of the Universe • Earth is in a solar system • The Solar System is in a galaxy (Milky Way Galaxy) • Galaxy: a collection of stars, dust, and gas bound together by gravity • Beyond The Milky Way are billions of other galaxies

  5. Measuring Distances in the Universe • Astronomical unit (AU): approximates the average distance between Earth and the sun • About 150 million km • Light-year: distance between Earth and the sun that light travels in one year • Speed of light = 300,000 km/s • 9.46 x 1012 km • Closest star to Earth (aside from the Sun) is 4.22 light-years away

  6. LT 2: I can identify the visible and nonvisible parts of the electromagnetic spectrum. • Observing Space • Electromagnetic Spectrum: all of the frequencies or wavelengths of electromagnetic radiation (EMR) • Humans only see Visible EMR • Light travels at the same speed, but have different wavelengths which produces the different colors • Invisible EMR have shorter wavelengths than Violet or longer wavelengths than Red • Discovered by Sir Frederick William Herschel in 1800 with a thermometer

  7. Refracting Telescopes Use lenses to bend light (refraction) Objective lens gathers light Eyepiece lens magnifies the light Lens focuses different wavelengths of light at different distances which limits the size of the objective lens. Reflecting Telescopes Uses mirrors to gather and focus light Light is reflected off of one lens onto a 2nd mirror which then reflects the light to the eyepiece Mirrors can be very large without affecting the quality of the image LT 3: I can compare refracting and reflecting telescopes. Telescope: an instrument that collects EMR from the sky and concentrates it for better observation.

  8. Nonvisible EMR Telescopes Each type of EMR must have its own telescope Affected by Earth’s atmosphere Most of these telescopes are in space Hubble Space Telescope Chandra X-ray Observatory Spitzer Space Telescope (infrared telescope) Light Telescopes Reflecting and Refracting Telescopes Largest Reflecting Telescopes are in HI LT 4: I can explain how telescopes for nonvisible electromagnetic radiation differ from light telescopes.

  9. Other Spacecraft • Voyager 1 & 2 • Launched in 1977 • Investigated Jupiter, Saturn, Uranus, and Neptune • Galileo • Orbited Jupiter and its moons from 1995 – 2003 • Cassini-Huygens • Launched in 1997 and began orbiting Saturn in 2004 • Spirit & Opportunity • Explore Mars beginning in 2004 • Confirmed water had once been on Mars • Curiosity • Most recent rover sent to Mars • Started exploring the surface in Summer 2012

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