Agenda• International Year of Light Resources • EM Spectrum Review• NASA Astrophysics Observatories,

techniques, images• Visible Spectra, IR demo, UV beads• Resources

• PPT and Resource Word dochttp://www.sofia.usra.edu/Edu/materials/

presentations.html

IYL

IYL

The Electromagnetic Spectrum

Our eyes see only part of the electromagnetic spectrum…

Temperature -271 ° C -172° C 5,000 ° C 10 Million ° C 10 Billion ° Cof bodies emitting -457 ° F -280 ° F 9,032 ° F 18 Million ° F 18 Billion ° F the wavelength ß

Each part of the spectrum impacts our daily lives…

“Invisible” Light in Society

Microwave ovens

Communications

Remote controls X-rays

UV Sunscreen

NASA SMD Astrophysics:Discover the origin,

structure, evolution, and destiny of the universe, and search for Earth-like planets

We collect light from distant objects, and bring together researchers from many disciplines.

The Tools of Our Search

Stratospheric Observatory For Infrared Astronomy (SOFIA)

Representative Color

“Invisible” Light in Astronomy

Each part of the spectrum provides a piece of the puzzle in understanding

our universe.

The Pinwheel Galaxy

http://hubblesite.org/newscenter/archive/releases/2009/07

IrregularsHuge collections of stars, gas, and dust held together by gravity…

Spirals

Ellipticals

Galaxies: How Do They Form and Evolve?

M82: A Burst of Star Formation

Infrared Visible X-Ray

Centaurus A

Infrared Visible X-Ray

To find the earliest galaxies, we will need to explore the universe in the infrared.

Looking Back in Time

The Lives of Stars

The Orion Nebula

Infrared Visible X-Ray

Our Place in the Universe

• Pause here

Spectra = Signatures

Active Astronomy Lessons

Compare and contrast visible & infrared light1. Overview and pre-test2. What’s getting through to you?

gel filters3. Seeing the Invisible

detector circuits 4. Reflection of Visible and Invisible

mirrors and detector circuits 5. Listening to Light

detector and transmitter circuits

• UV Beads

NASA Resources

More Resources • http://chandra.harvard.edu/photo/• https://www.sofia.usra.edu/Edu/docs/

EMS_back.pdf• Project Spectra• http://lasp.colorado.edu/home/education/

k-12/project-spectra/• NASA Tour of the EM Spectrum• http://missionscience.nasa.gov/ems/index.html

And More Resources

• SOFIA Active Astronomy• http://www.sofia.usra.edu/Edu/materials/

activeAstronomy/activeAstronomy.html• SEEK and FLIR smart phone IR cameras• ASP AstroShop • PPT and Resource Word dochttp://www.sofia.usra.edu/Edu/materials/

presentations.html

• CSTA website

Thank you!

Visible vs Infrared Images

Sponsors for today’s talk• NASA’s SOFIA (Stratospheric Observatory

for Infrared Astronomy) Mission

• SETI Institute, Mountain View, CA

Chandra X-ray telescope• http://chandra.harvard.edu/photo/

• https://www.sofia.usra.edu/Edu/docs/EMS_back.pdf