Astronomy

1. Astronomy What is Astronomy ? and Tools of Astronomy

2. EARTH SCIENCES • Sciences related to the Earth and the universe around the Earth • Origin of the Earth • Structure of the Earth • Physical phenomena of the Earth • Also known as Geoscience

3. EARTH SCIENCE • There are 4 basic sciences studied as Earth Science, branching out into many more specific science disciplines • Geology – Study of the Earth • Meteorology – Study of the atmosphere, weather and climate • Oceanography – Study of the oceans • Astronomy – Study of the universe

4. ASTRONOMY • So what’s it mean and where’s if from? • Greek • astron ….. meaning star • nomy ….. meaning law or culture

5. ASTRONOMY • The study of celestial objects • Stars • Planets • Comets • Nebula • Star clusters • Galaxies • Other phenomena beyond the Earth’s atmosphere

6. Branches of Astronomy • Solar Astronomy • The study of the sun, our nearest star, and the phenomena that surrounds the sun.

7. Branches of Astronomy • Planetary Science • The study of the planets, their moons, and their atmospheres • The planetary system • The formation of the planets

8. Branches of Astronomy • Stellar Astronomy • The study of the stars and stellar evolution.

9. Branches of Astronomy • Galactic Astronomy • The study of the Milky Way and all of its contents. • The Milky Way is Earth’s galaxy

10. Branches of Astronomy Spiral Galaxy: The magnificent M81 spiral galaxy takes center stage in this ultraviolet image from NASA's Galaxy Evolution Explorer. Young stars appear as wisps of bluish-white swirling around a central golden glow, which comes from a group of much older stars. The large fluffy bluish-white material to the left of M81 is a neighboring galaxy called Homberg IX. This galaxy is practically invisible to the naked human eye. However, when viewed in ultraviolet light, a region that is actively forming young stars is revealed. Image and caption by NASA. • Extragalactic Astronomy • The study of objects not within the Milky Way, Earth’s galaxy An image taken in 2001 with the Hubble Space Telescope reveals the irregular-shaped galaxy ESO 510-13, which astronomers theorize is twisted because of gravitational effects that occurred when it absorbed a smaller galaxy. Image credit: NASA and Hubble Heritage Team

11. Branches of Astronomy • Cosmology • Comes from the Greek words meaning “world” and “study of” • Study of the entire universe as it is now and our place in the universe.

12. ASTRONOMY IS NOT ASTROLOGY • Both have links to the universe and celestial objects • Astrology has beliefs that connect human events to celestial events and objects

13. Ancient Astronomy • One of the oldest sciences; the sky has been studied and wondered about for thousands of years. • Ancient tables predicting eclipses dating back to 131 BC and calendars dating back to 2000 BC. (based upon sun / moon movement) • The first 5 planets were known more than 5000 years ago; in 1781 Uranus was discovered.

14. Uses of Astronomy • Helped ancient people solve problems • Farmers • planting crops • planting/ harvesting crops • Sailors • used stars to guide them in the seas • Ancient astronomers used their eyes as the main tool for observations; Galileo first used a telescope in 1609.

15. Astronomers • Sir Issac Newton • Edmund Halley • Albert Einstein • Stephen Hawking • Edwin Hubble • Pythagoras • Ptolemy • Nicholas Copernicus • Johannes Kepler • Galileo Galilei • Tycho Brahe

16. Astronomer - Pythagoras • Believed the Earth had a center core of fire that it revolved around • Identified the morning and evening star as the same object; this object is the planet Venus • Famous math theorem: • Pythagorean Theorem states that A2 + B2 = C2 (of a right triangle) • B: 569 BC D: 475 BC • Philosopher, mathematician, astronomer • Believed the Earth had a center core of fire that it revolved around

17. Astronomer - Ptolemy • Book : Almagest contained detailed theories of the motion of the sun, moon and planets • Believed movement to be in epicycles; small circlular motions as the planet orbited in a larger circular motion. • B : 87 AD D : 150 AD • Astronomer, mathematician • Believed that celestial bodies revolved around the Earth (Geocentric)

18. Astronomer - Copernicus • He challenged the previous geocentric theory of the planet’s orbiting the Earth • Believed in an Sun centered universe • B : 1473 D : 1543 • Believed that the planets orbited the sun (Heliocentric) • Studied math, astronomy, medicine and law

19. Astronomer - Kepler • Brahe’s assistant who supported many of Copernicus’ ideas • There are many things named after Kepler including an observatory which has a telecope in space searching for planets beyond our solar system. • B : 1571 D : 1630 • Kepler’s Laws which describe 3 planetary motion laws • Planets revolve in elliptical pattern • Planets move faster when they are closer to the sun • Math formula to determine a planet’s distance from the sun

20. Astronomer - Galileo • First to use a telescope, which led to the finding of many celestial bodies • Invented the thermometer • Found 4 moons of Jupiter • Identified the phases of Venus • Studied sunspots • Condemned by the church for his heliocentric belief • B : 1564 D : 1642 • Challenged Aristotle’s Earth centered (geocentric) idea. • Studied math and astronomy

21. Tycho Brahe

22. http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Tycho_Brahe Astronomer - Brahe • He worked without a telescope • Observed a solar eclipse in 1560 (@ age 14) • Discovered a nova (very bright star that fades) • Observed 5 comets beyond the moon • Believed in an Earth centered universe, but believed that planet revolve around the sun as it revolves around the Earth • B : 1546 D : 1601 • Designed instruments to measure movement of the stars and planets

23. Astronomer - Newton • Calculated the masses of planets and the paths of comets • Invented a reflecting telescope (mirrors not lenses) • Centrifugal force keeps planets from being pulled into the sun • Connected Copernicus’ and Kepler’s ideas with Galileo’s gravity idea • B : 1642 D : 1727 • Presented the Laws of Motion and theories for gravity • Made many contributions to many areas of science • Considered greatest scientific genius

24. Astronomer - Halley • Studied Newton’s theories • Charted southern hemisphere stars, cataloged @ 341 stars • Helped Newton publish his book by providing him with financial support • Noticed that Venus’ path could be seen • B : 1656 D : 1752 • Calculated comet’s orbit demonstrating that comets have an elliptical path around the sun and return to the same point • Halley’s comet returns every 76 years

25. Astronomer - Einstein • His parents were originally told he would amount to nothing and was considered to be a failure. • Won the Noble Prize in 1921 • Time and distance are not absolute but relative to the observers frame of reference • His famous formula relates to the converting of mass to energy and energy to mass. • B : 1879 D : 1955 • Physicist • Theories of Relativity • Known mainly for his formula E = mc2

26. Astronomer - Hubble • Influential in modern astronomy • Observed that the universe is expanding • Classified different galaxies and noted that they were moving away from each other which gave rise to Hawking’s Big Bang Theory. • Helped clarify Einstein’s idea of static space • Astronomy was not recognized so he could not win a Noble Prize; after his death it became recognized • Hubble Telescope was named in his honor. • B : 1889 D : 1953 • Proved that other galaxies existed beyond our galaxy (The Milky Way) • Father of Observational Cosmology

27. Astronomer - Hawking • Has a Motor Neuron Disease, Lou Gehrig’s Disease (ALS) which has him confined to a wheelchair and forces him to speak through a voice synthesizer. • Written books, spicifically A Brief History of Time • Has appeared on the Simpson’s • B : 1942 Alive as of 9 / 2011 • Laws that govern the universe • Big Bang Theory (scientific not the TV show) • Physics of Black holes