Section 2: Tools for Studying Space

Galileo Galile is credited with inventing the telescope. He invented the refracting telescope which uses lenses to bend light and magnify object.

Reflecting telescopes use a concave mirror to focus light in front of another mirror. NOTICE that the light (red lines) don’t overlap like they did in the refracting telescope diagram.

Not all radiation (energy) given off by stars is visible light….REMEMBER LAST TOPIC!!! To collect and analyze information from other types of radiation scientists use radio telescopes. These telescopes are like giant radio antennas and allow scientists to listen to space.

To see clearer images of space scientists use space telescopes to look further into space. The images are clearer because the atmosphere doesn’t cloud the image. The most famous space telescope is the Hubble space telescope. Scientists also look at the X-rays given off in space with the NASA Chandra X-ray Observatory