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!