Curricular Concept: To aid students in understanding that there are other types of telescopes besides reflecting and refracting which use visual light. These include x-ray, radio, ultraviolet, infrared, and gamma ray telescopes. Each of these telescopes gives us additional information about stars, etc.
Describe how a major milestone in science or technology has revolutionized the thinking of the time (e.g. global positions system, telescopes, et.)
Grade level: 7th
Tools needed: pencil, drawing paper
Web Resources:
Tools needed: pencil, drawing paper
Web Resources:
Brainpop on Electromagnetic Spectrum
Since its launch on July 23, 1999, the Chandra X-ray Observatory has been NASA's flagship mission for X-ray astronomy. Chandra's mission is to observe X-rays from high-energy regions of the Universe.
Adaptive Curriculum - "Making a Telescope: See the Moon"
Strategy:
There are many kinds of telescopes that scientists use to discover the secrets of the universe.
Start off with a history of the telescope by visiting the "Who invented the first telescope?" The best known of these early astronomers was Galileo Galilee. Both of these telescopes relied on visible light to see the first images of the moon, Mars, etc. To learn more about these telescopes go to "Refracting and Reflecting Telescopes."
"Making A Telescope: See the Moon" is an Adaptive Curriculum activity that could be completed next.
Most students have a rudimentary understanding of these telescopes, but they have probably never heard of a radio telescope, an x-ray telescope, or an infrared telescope. But before introducing the unique images of these, the students must know about the electromagnetic spectrum. The electromagnetic (EM) spectrum is just a name that scientists give a bunch of types of radiation when they want to talk about them as a group.
Brainpop has a very good video on "Electromagnetic Spectrum." Visit the website, http://science.hq.nasa.gov/kids/imagers/ems/index.html, and have students take a few notes and diagram the electromagnetic spectrum.
Now that students have some idea about the various energy waves, it is much easier to introduce the various other types of telescopes. It is especially important to show how each telescope shows something different about the same object.
A Very Large Array in New Mexico is a radio telescope. Visit The Very Large Array website to take a google earth tour. Images from radio telescopes are different from visible telescopes.
Spitzer is an infrared telescope that was launched from Cape Canaveral on August 25, 2003. This telescope detects infrared energy or heat, radiated by objects in space. To view images from this infrared telescope click here.
Probably the most famous telescope is the Hubble. It has been in orbit since 1990, and has given us a tremendous amount of information about the universe. The Hubble images are the most famous pictures in space. If someone would like to make a model of the Hubble telescope, although it is rated "difficult," it would be a great project for some students to try.
Posted by Stargazer
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