Science 9 Name:

Unit 5: Space

Topic 2 - Stronger Eyes and Better Numbers

Telescopes
Telescopes allow us to see objects that are very distant in space. Optical Telescopes In 1608, Hans Lippershey made one of the first telescopes but it was Galileo Galilei who made practical use of it. The observations he made included: The moon had blemishes (mountains and craters like the Earth). Sun spots indicated that it rotates on its axis. Jupiters moons orbit the planet. Planets were disk-shaped, but because the stars were still pinpoints, they were further away. Galileos observations supported Copernicuss Sun-centered model but not Ptolemys Earth-centered model. The reason for his beliefs was that, the moons he observed orbiting Jupiter, indicated that the earth was not the centre of the universe. Resolving power is the kind of power that produces finer detail of the object being viewed because of the diameter of the objective lens. There is a limit to the size of lens that a refracting telescope can have. Diameters over 1 meter will cause the lens to warp.

Refractors and Reflectors

Optical telescopes are light collectors. The series of lenses or mirrors enable the optical device to collect and focus the light from stars. There are two types of optical telescopes: 1) The first telescope designed was a simple refracting telescope. It uses two lenses to gather and focus starlight

2) Reflecting telescopes use mirrors instead of lenses to gather and focus the light from the stars. A process called spin-casting today makes mirrors, by pouring molten glass into a spinning mould. The glass is forced to the edges, cooled and solidified. Mirrors as large as 6m across have been made using this method. An innovation for ground-based optical reflecting telescopes is the use of segmented mirrors (a segmented-mirror telescope uses several lightweight-segments to build one large mirror). Interferometry: Combining Telescopes for Greater Power. The technique of using a number of telescopes in combination is called interferometry. When working together, these telescopes can detect objects in space with better clarity and at greater distances than any current Earth-based observatory. To improve the views of space, astronomers are able to access images from a telescope in space. Free from the interferences of weather, clouds humidity and even high winds, the Hubble Space Telescope, launched in 1990, orbits 600 kms above the Earth, collecting images of extremely distant objects. It is a cylindrical reflecting telescope, 13 m long and 4.3 m in diameter. It is modular (parts can be removed and replaced) and is serviced by shuttle astronauts. Tycho Brahe was an observation genius in astronomy before the age of the telescope. The mural, or Tychonian, quadrant was actually a very large brass quadrant, affixed to a wall. Its radius measured almost two meters and was graduated in tens of seconds. Sightings were taken along the quadrant through the small window in the opposing wall, to which Tycho points. The clock shown at the bottom right, accurate to seconds, allowed the observers to note the precise moment of observation.

Copernicuss Sun-Centred Revolution Continues

Although Galileos observations helped to confirm the Sun-centered model of the universe, it was Johannes Kepler who solved the remaining problem of the epicycles. To do this, his calculations insisted that the orbits of the planets should be elliptical, instead of circular. An ellipse is a figure that looks like a squashed circle.

With access to Tycho Brahes star charts, Kepler mathematically worked out the orbit of Mars and found that it only worked if the orbit was elliptical. He also figured out the shape and scale of the entire known solar system.

Universal Gravitation
Isaac Newton stated the law of universal gravitation eighty years after Keplers contribution about elliptical orbits of the planets. Newtons law states that there is a gravitational force between all objects that pulls them together. An orbit is the result of the attractive force of gravity balancing the straightforward movement of a planet because of velocity.

Topic 2 Assignment Vocabulary:

Telescope: used to magnify an object at a great distance. Optical Telescope: uses the naked eye and lenses. Ocular Lens/Eyepiece: where you view the magnified object. Resolving Power: the fineness of the detail the telescope can produce. Refracting Telescope: uses lenses for their objectives (better quality images). Reflecting Telescope: uses objective mirrors (larger images). Ellipse: figure that looks like a squashed circle. Invented by Kepler that expanded on Copernicus and Galileos models. Universal Gravitation: invented by Isaac Newton as an explanation of Keplers ellipses. Provided and explanation for the planets elliptical orbits. Planets are pulled by gravity towards the Sun. Assignment: 1. What is the difference between a reflecting and a refracting telescope. A reflecting telescope uses mirrors and gets larger images but with less detail and quality. A refracting telescope uses lenses and gets better quality images that are smaller. 2. Why did Galileo conclude that Jupiter had four moons traveling around it? Because he could see little lights dancing across its surface.

3. What observations led Galileo to conclude that the Sun rotates? He saw dark spots on the sun moving. 4. Does the Earth rotate or revolve or both? Explain your answer. It takes it 24 hours to rotate and it takes it 365.25 days to revolve around the Sun. 5. Why were Tycho Brahes star charts so important in deciding the correct model of the solar system. The stars stayed constant and it helped people travel and discover where land masses were. 6. Describe how planets stay in stable orbits around the Sun. Universal gravity keeps us going around the Sun. 7. What is an optical telescope? A telescople that you look through with your eye. 8. Match the astronomer or scientist in Column A to their theory or invention in Column B. There may be more than item in Column B that matches the scientists listed.

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law of universal gravitation invented the telescope in 1608 theorized that planetary orbits were elliptical Earth-centred model of the universe sun-centred model of the universe disproved the Earth-centred model of the universe invented the reflecting telescope discovered the shape and scale of the entire known solar system.

Galileo Galilei Hans Lippershey Johannes Kepler Ptolemy Copernicus Issac Newton

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