cool is hot: the em spectrum, infrared radiation, and infrared astronomy d. backman sofia outreach /...
TRANSCRIPT
Cool is Hot: The EM Spectrum,Infrared Radiation, and Infrared Astronomy
D. BackmanSOFIA Outreach / SETI Institute / NASA Ames
CSTA / NSTA-West December 4, 2014
Outline: Electromagnetic spectrum Focus on infrared SOFIA – Stratospheric Observatory for Infrared Astronomy Active Astronomy classroom kits Airborne Astronomy Ambassadors program
Sir William Herschel:
Discovery of infrared radiation (1800)
Build your own Herschel demo
The full electromagnetic spectrum …
Making Light of it All!
Riding the Wave Light is a wave of electromagnetic energy The wavelength of light defines its radiation
band (X-ray, or Infrared, or Visible or …)
Wavelength, Frequency, Speed:
l n = c
l (or w) = wavelength (length: meters, m)
n (or f) = frequency (cycles per sec: s-1, Hertz or Hz)
c = speed (meters per second: m/s, m s-1)
THIS FORMULA HOLDS TRUE FOR ANY WAVE
BECAUSE SPEED ‘c’ IS CONSTANT,l and n HAVE A RECIPROCAL RELATIONSHIP
Each part of the spectrum impacts our daily lives…
“Invisible” Light in Society
Microwave ovens
Communications
Remote controls X-rays
Solar UV
Reprise electromagnetic spectrum:
View throughNEAR-INFRARED“night vision” goggles(0.7-1.0 microns)
Views through Mid-IR (a.k.a. Thermal-IR) cameras
Representational-colorviews through aMID-INFRAREDcamera(8-14 microns)
Representing invisible light is as much “art” as “science.”
Getting a more completepicture of the Universe:
Constellation Orionleft: visual wavelength view
right: far-infrared view
EARTH’S ATMOSPHERE: OPACITY VERSUS WAVELENGTH
Gamma-ray X-ray UV Infrared Radio
BUT THERE’S A PROBLEM …
Earth’s atmospheric water vapor absorbs almost all incoming infrared radiation.Even mountain-top observatories get a limited view of the infrared universe.
Thermal-IRimage ofEarth frommeteorologysatellite
SOFIA -- The Next GenerationAirborne Observatory
• First science flight was in 2010• Goal: 120+ 8-hr science flights per year, 20-yr lifetime• 2-4 weeks per year in southern hemisphere deployments
• 2.5-meter (100-inch) diametertelescope in a Boeing 747SP
• Based at NASA-Armstrong facility in southern Calif.,with mission science center at NASA-Ames in northern Calif.
• 20% share with the German space agency DLR
SOFIA – the observatory Open cavity (door not shown)
TELESCOPE
Pressure bulkhead
Scientific instrument (1 of 6)
Scientist work stations, telescope and instrument control, etc.
Educator work stations
Jupiter
Galaxy M82
SOFIA’s“First Light”
images
Images of the Milky Way Galaxy’s nucleus
SOFIA: mid-IR Hubble: near-IR
[Only massive central star cluster is seen.]Ring of molecular clouds orbiting central supermassive black hole.
Active Astronomy (“AA”)classroom kit
Middle School physical science / High School physics
• * Supports 4 activities comparing and contrastingvisual & infrared light;
• * Teachers’ guide includes curricular material,pre-/post-tests, parts list, suggested vendors.
Available for downloading at:http://www.sofia.usra.edu/Edu/materials/edu_materials.html
SOMETIMES available for purchase (at cost) fromthe Astronomical Society of the Pacific (ASP): Noel Encarnacion (ASP Customer Service Manager)
AA classroom kit, continued
Four activities:
What’s Getting Through To You (EM spectrum, colors, bandpasses)> Light Filters (Gels)
Seeing the Invisible (detecting infrared light)> Detector Circuit & Holographic Grating
Reflection of Visual and Infrared Light> Mirror and Detector Circuit
Listening to Light (transmitting information using infrared light)> CD player, Transmitter Circuit, Detector Circuit
Mary Blessing, Herndon, Va. Cris DeWolf, Remus, Mich. with Dana Backman (SETI)
Pamela Harman (SETI) with Margaret Piper, Frankfort, Ill. Kathleen Fredette, Palmdale, CA
Terry Herter (Cornell), Jim De Buizer (USRA) withTheresa Paulsen, Mellen, Wis. and Marita Beard, San Jose, Calif.
Cecilia Scorza (DSI) with Wolfgang Vieser, Munich, GermanyJörg Trebs, Berlin, Germany
Airborne Astronomy Ambassadors 2011 pilot program (“Cycle 0”):Six Educators from the U.S., Two from Germany
* About 50 educators per year expected to fly on SOFIA in full-scale program
- Classroom teachers - Planetarium & science center staff - Community college faculty - Amateur astronomers with robust public
outreach programs
- Apply as teams of 2; one member of the team must be a currently active middle- or high school science teacher.
* Next application opportunity: OPEN NOW!
http://www.seti.org/sofia
(SOFIA page on SETI Institute’s website)
AIRBORNE ASTRONOMY AMBASSADORS
For further information:
SOFIA Science Center home page & main Education page• http://www.sofia.usra.edu• http://www.sofia.usra.edu/Edu/edu.html
(PDF copy of these slides available there next Monday)
Spitzer Space Telescope’s award-winning infrared tutorial• http://coolcosmos.ipac.caltech.edu
Printed resource list available here
Contact the presenter:• [email protected]
Further information & resources:
SOFIA Science Center home page & main Education page• http://www.sofia.usra.edu• http://www.sofia.usra.edu/Edu/edu.html
(PDF copy of these slides available there next Monday)
Spitzer Space Telescope’s award-winning infrared tutorial• http://coolcosmos.ipac.caltech.edu
Printed resource list available here in the workshop
(and on SOFIA main Education page next Monday)
Contact the presenter(I am happy to videocon w/ your students):• [email protected]