Physical Science - TELESCOPES

FAST

The largest single radio dish in operation today is...

GranTeCan

The largest single-mirror scope in operation today is...

VLT

The largest optical interferometer (multiple mirrors) in operation today is...

Can see through dust and gas in space

What is an advantage of RADIO over visible light telescopes?

Infrared

In what part of the EM spectrum do James Webb, Spitzer, and SOFIA operate?

Proof of the Big Bang Theory

What was the major accomplishment of the COBE microwave satellite?

High, dry, and dark

According to Mr. Jeter, what 3 criteria make a good location for observing the night sky with telescopes?

Hypernovas

What is one cause of Gamma Ray Bursts?

Colliding neutron stars

What is another cause of Gamma Ray Bursts (other than hypernovas)?

James Webb Space Telescope

What telescope is considered to be the "successor to the Hubble" as the most important telesopce in use?

It's above the blurry atmosphere

What is the primary advantage of the Hubble Space Telescope?

X-rays

What area of the EM spectrum did the Chandra telesocpe study?

Microwaves

What area of the EM spectrum does the Planck telescope operate?

Gamma rays

What area of the EM spectrum does the Fermi telescope operate?

Visible

What area of the EM spectrum does the Hubble telesocpe operate?

Cassegrain

What type of telescope is shown here? (Eyepiece is at the back.)

Newtonian

What type of telescope is shown here? (Eyepiece is on the side.)

Refractor

What type of telescope is shown here?

GMT (Giant Magellan Telescope)

What next-generation telescope with 7 huge mirrors is being built in Chile?

Hot stars

What type of celestial objects are best studied with Ultraviolet Astronomy?

Dobsonian (Dob)

What type of telescope has a swivel base? (Rather than a tripod)

Refractrors

What was the first type of telescope invented (the type used by Galileo)?

Newtonian

What type of telescope has an eyepiece on the side of the scope?

Cassegrain

What type of telescope uses mirrors and has an eyepiece in the back of the scope?

FALSE (all major scopes today are reflectors)

T or F: About half of all major telescopes are refractors, about half are reflectors.

TRUE (we stopped building large refractors in the 1890s)

T or F: It's easier to build large reflectors than large refractors.

False.

T or F: MSDHS has an interferometer.

True

T or F: MSDHS has a refractor, a Newtonian, and a Cassegrain.

FALSE (stars twinkle when the atmosphere is being disturbed)

T or F: Astronomers love "twinkling" stars!

True (they collect more light)

T or F: Bigger telescopes are generally better than smaller scopes.

Black holes

What type of celestial object is best studied in X-rays?

Yerkes Observatory in Wisconsin

What was the largest refractor built?

Objective lens

What is the large lens at the front end of a refractor called?

Eyepiece

What is the smaller lens on the side of the telesocpe shown here called?

Secondary mirror

What is the smaller mirror of a reflector called?