Tools and Technology

Space Objects

By: Brittany D. Alexander

GRAVITY!

What keeps things grouped together in

space?

Earth is made up of 3 major groups:

• Solar System: planets (and other stuff) revolve around the sun.

• Milky Way: Our solar system and millions of stars.

• Universe: All of space and everything in it.

Astronomers use telescopes, satellites,

space probes, and spectroscopes to

make observations and collect data about

objects in the solar system and outside of

the solar system.

Telescopes

Optical Telescopes: collect and focus the light producing larger, brighter images of far away things.

Two Types:

1. Refracting Telescopes

2. Reflecting Telescopes

Refracting Telescopes

Refracting Telescopes use a curved a convex lens to focus collected light.

Reflecting Telescopes

Reflecting Telescopes use a mirror to focus the collected light.

Optical Telescopes

work best when …

• They are placed in rural areas (away from lights).

• on mountaintops. (less atmospheric pressure)

Radio Telescope

Radio Telescopes receive radio waves emitted from objects in space, including waves from very distant stars and galaxies.

It can receive

information in any

weather and during day or night!

A Few More…

• The ‘Hubble Space Telescope’ is a reflecting telescope that produces reads of infrared radiation.

• The ‘Chandra X-Ray Observatory is a refracting telescope and was placed in space to read X-Ray signals.

What do you notice about the last two

telescopes?

They are placed where Earth’s atmosphere does not block or

absorb the signals!