The Near Infrared Camera for the Keck I telescope is so sensitive it could detect the equivalent of a single candle flame on the Moon.
Note: Next lunar eclipse is this Thursday Feb 21, 2008 !
Three basic types of spectra:
Kirchhoff's 3 laws describe behavior among these spectra. [Chaisson p.89, figs 4.2 and 4.5]
Conservation of energy: energy can be neither created nor destroyed; it may be transformed, but the total does not change.
Table of common energy outputs
Waves carry energy (of motion) but do not actually transport material
Know three fundamental properties of waves:
Visible light is only a small part of the complete electromagnetic spectrum [Chaisson Fig.3.9]
Textbook Note: figures in the book contain an inset spectrum icon
Each element in the Periodic Table has unique fingerprint spectrum (e.g., even in nebula)... but how to explain?
Quantum Mechanics in 20minutes (c.f., page from Dirac's book)
Nice online timeline of Quantum Mechanics (local copy), including Bohr model of the atom for explaining Balmer Series in hydrogen [Chaisson p.93]
Nearly all telescopes work on the principle of collecting light and "bending" it to a focal point (or "prime focus")
[movie: short and long version]
Two main types of telescopes: Refractors and Reflectors [Chaisson Fig5.5]
The telescope you looked through in class was a Schmidt-Cassegrain reflector.
Know the Three Powers of a telescope (Chaisson section 5.1 on Optical Telescopes):
Noteworthy optical telescopes
Effect of earth's atmosphere on different electromagnetic radiation.
Views of the Milky Way at different wavelengths
Noteworthy non-optical telescopes
Chaisson text:
Northwestern University Physics department has a nice Quantum Mechanics timeline
PBS Nova's interactive and historical demonstration of refractors and reflectors
Sky and Telescope magazine article on buying a telescope
The National Radio Astronomy Observatory educational page
Celestron's Telescope Basics (Celestron is the maker of my telescope, which you used in class)
Document URL: http://www.uh.edu/~jclarage/astr3131/lectures/5/5.html