Astronomy Chpt 6

Which of the following is the biggest disadvantage of putting a telescope in space?

Space telescopes are much more expensive than similar ground-based telescopes.

Cameras that use adaptive optics provide higher spatial-resolution images primarily because

. deformable mirrors are used to correct the blurring due to Earth's atmosphere.

Building effective detectors for particles or waves that scientists would like to study is a real challenge. Some are easily detected, while others are not. Rank the following items in order of increasing difficulty of detection.

1. infrared photons 2. neutrinos 3. gravity waves

Today's astronomers have a broad array of technological tools for capturing astronomical data. Early astronomers lacked that advantage. Place the following types of astronomical equipment in the order that they became available.

1. refracting 2. reflecting 3. film 4. radio 5. CCD imaging

The largest astronomical refractor has an aperture of 1 meter. Select all true statements below about why it would be impractical to build an even larger refractor with, say, twice the aperture.

A. The degree of chromatic aberration increases as the focal length gets longer, and this would reduce image quality .B. The tube would have to be so long that housing and moving it would be extremely difficult, especially because it would be frontloaded with weight. C. A lens with a 2 m diameter would be very heavy and would deform under its own weight within a few years.

Improved resolution is helpful to astronomers because it enables them to view

B. very distant objects. C. small features of an object. D. many objects close together.

Match the following properties of telescopes with their corresponding definitions.

Interferometer- several telescopes connected to act as one Focal length- distance from lens to focal plane Aperture- diameter Resolution- ability to distinguish objects that appear close together in the sky Chromatic aberration- rainbow making effect Diffraction- smearing effect due to sharp edge

Each image shown depicts how light travels inside a particular type of telescope. Analyze each image and identify which type of telescope it is.

Newtonian- straight with eyepiece Cassegrain- straight refracting- crisscross

You are shopping for telescopes online. You find two in your price range. One of these has an aperture of 20 cm, and one has an aperture of 30 cm. Which should you choose, and why?

The 30 cm, because the light-gathering power will be better.

The angular resolution of a ground-based telescope is usually determined by

atmospheric seeing

Arrays of radio telescopes can produce much better resolution than single-dish telescopes because they work based on the principle of

interference

Spacecraft are the most effective way to study planets in our Solar System because

they can collect more information than is available just from images.

Choose all that apply. CCD cameras are better astronomical detectors than the human eye because

they can observe at wavelengths beyond the visible the integration time can be longer. their quantum efficiency is higher.