Download giant_telescopes

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Intro
Theory of the universe- better but imperfect
1998 accelerating universe
how we're trying to solve the problem
how to fix? -> new telescopes. need to see further back and in better detail.
the realities of designing these new systems is really only hitting home X
telescopes in design TMT, GMT, EELT, SKA, James Webb, XRAY.
7. it is easy to simply think 'build bigger'. but there are significant problems:
8. SKA design descriptions
9. SKA - wide field dark energy
10. lots of problems with our knowledge: list Galaxy formation, extrasolar planets
11. how we're looking for them with Keck
12. GMT, TMT design descriptions. associated problems to be overcome.
13. compare to Magellan.
14. EELT design descriptions,
15. compare to VLT
16. why they are being built. staring at quasars for 20 years.
17. how they'll find out about galaxy formation
18. how they'll find out about extra solar planets
19. SKA and solar planets - all the wavelengths
20. James Webb - design descriptions
21. James Webb - redshifted light - galaxy formation.
22. is this it.
There is something afoot in the world
of astronomy.
Big things are happening.
The giants are coming.
We have learned so much in 400
years, over time we have slowly built
up a deep understanding of the
universe. What we once viewed as a
serene, static universe, we now see as
a dynamic place. but now
astronomers are about to build
ambitious new telescopes in order to
push our understanding further...
To understand why, we need to start
at the beginning
The beginning of the universe.
Its tiny, a seething mass of energy so
densely packed together that single
atoms cannot form. Immense
temperatures and pressures exist
everywhere. Its our entire universe
and its almost infinitely small.
The universe is expanding and
cooling and doing both very quickly.
It isn't expanding into space, before
this moment, space did not exist, and
now space and time itself is
expanding. In a fraction of a second
the universe has gone from the size
of a proton to the size of a soccer
ball. A few minutes into the
expansion the temperature has
dropped to a mere 1 billion degrees
the density of the entire universe is
now like the air on earth
Now protons and neutrons form into
atomic nuclei
Talk about matter being connected…
even temperatures -> isotropic result
300000 years pass, the expansion
continues and eventually the universe
cools sufficiently to allow hydrogen
and helium nuclei to capture an
electron: recombination has occurred.
And we enter the dark ages…
Hydroen and helium are neutral,
photons can travel freely and so the
universe is transparent, invisible
The universe is smooth, there are
barely any difference
As time progresses, the perturbations
in the dark matter collate and clump
due to gravity, attracting more and
more material, now galaxies form out
of visible, baryonic matter, the gas
and dust, and in these stars are born.
Galaxies collide with other galaxies
the larger ones cannibalising the
small, stars age and die and other
stars form and the complexity of the
system increases. At some point the
universe starts to accelerate in its
expansion, some unseen, dark energy
pulling the universe further and
further apart. 8 billion years from the
start our own solar system forms
from a large rotating ball of gas and
dust. As the sun is born it blows
away the gas and dust. All this is
occurring in a galaxy out of the
billions and billions that have formed
in this universe: we call this galaxy
the milky way and we see it when we
look up in the night sky.. and that is a
short version of our theory of how
the universe formed
There are... Problems with our
GIANTS
theory, things we can't explain, things
we can't see, gaps in our knowledge.
And the more we have learned the
more we have realised how much we
don’t know. Our picture of the
universe is clearer, but it is by no
means complete.
This is then, a story about what we
don’t know. And what we’re going to
do about it.
In the summer of 1998 two teams of
scientists were in competition. Both
were studying the same thing. Distant
supernova. They had once been one
group, before a disagreement over
methods splintered the group, and the
rush for results began. They were
using these distant supernovae to
confirm the expanding universe.
Only they both came to the same
result, and it wasn’t the result they
expected. It wasn’t a result that was
even considered.
The universe wasn’t just expanding,
it was accelerating in its expansion.
Neither group believed the result and
spent a whole year trying to disprove
their own results. But eventually,
they had to accept their results. The
universe was accelerating in its
expansion. A dark energy was at
play.
This wasn’t a small discovery, or
minor hole in our knowledge, it was a
fundamental problem. Dark energy
comprises 70% of the universe. And
we’ve only just found out about it
and have absolutely no idea what it
is.
Science community kicks in, devise
plans to measure wiggleZ, remeasure
supernova… to achieve the WiggleZ
project they have come here: the
AAT. [description of AAT and what
they're doing to survey the sky]
Only there are significant problems.
wiggles needs wide field of view,
highly accurate instrument. currently
on AAO. can't see deep into the
universe - need 8m class telescope,
but no 8m telescope has the right
instruments for this project. WiggleZ
is the start of our research into dark
energy, but better instruments are
needed to uncover the secrets of this.
what is needed is a telescope with a
wide field that can see deep into the
universe.
While this was going on. Planetary
scientists were hailing the first planet
orbiting around another star. After
many false starts they’d finally done
it, they’d proved that a planet was
orbiting around a distant star. And
here was the proof. A blurry, image
of a star. Using a trick called the
Radial velocity method, the
astronomers measured the movement
of the star due to the gravity of the
planet. It was proof, and had
monumental implications. But… you
couldn’t actually see it. this pushed
the telescope to the very limit of its
capability. so over the years, as
techniques improved and telescopes
improved, more planets have were
discovered. none however were ever
seen directly.
This is, then, an amazing image. To
the untrained eye, it might seem like
a weird blob and a few dots but to an
astronomer, it is the holy grail, it is
the first direct image of an extrasolar
planet.
To achieve this image, Astronomers
came here: the Keck Telescope. A 10
meter giant. [it does this that the
other]. in order to be able to see the
planet, the telescope operates on the
very best of observing nights, where
atmospheric turbulence is minimal,
the telescope is pointed at the planet.
A laser of a specific wavelength is
fired into the sky, it is so powerful
that when Satellites in space pass by
the beam is switched off, so as to not
damage the craft so powerful that
80km into the atmosphere it hits a
layer of gas, the wavelength of the
laser coincides with the gas and it
ionises it, this causes the point of gas
to glow.. Below on the ground the
telescope observes this laser “guide
star”. Which should appear circular,
however turbulence in the
atmosphere warps this image
destroying the clarity, so the
telescope warps the mirrors in real
time adapting the shape of the mirror
to compensate for atmospheric
fluctuations. Tiny movements in this
fragile 10 meter mirror occur every
second, allowing for a spectacular
clarity of image.
. To suggest this is an amazing
achievement is an understatement,
laser guide stars and adaptive optics
are on the very forefront of science. it
has allowed Astronomers to conduct
research never before considered
possible, and it has allowed them to
view the first true image of planets
orbiting around distant stars.
Despite this wonderful achievement,
there is still a fundamental problem.
The resolution is tiny, insufficient to
answer our questions. Questions we
desperately want answers to. Can
these planets, these dots we see in
this image, can they sustain life?
Does life already exist there? How
did they form. These questions elude
us.
It was becoming clear to the
Astronomy community that the limit
of the current telescopes was being
reached for certain aspects of the
science. we need to see further back
into time. and so the plans have
begun to take these wonders of
modern engineering. and push the
limits even further.
But how do you take the most
advanced instruments in the world
and make them better? these
instruments already represent the
very pinnacle of engineering.
to improve them is a huge task
There are a number of telescope
projects in design at the moment.
these include:
TMT, GMT, EELT, SKA, James
Webb.
each in themselves are a significant
undertaking, together they represent a
breathtaking engineering challenge in
our push to understand the universe
around us. The challenges facing
engineers are only just being realised.
The need for a wide field that can
view deep into space will be solved
by this: (SKA telescope) or more
precisely these. a square kilometre
array of these telescopes linked
together to make one large dish. One
of the main goals of the SKA will be
to take over the survey work being
done by telescopes such as the AAT.
the SKA will have a giant field of
view and will be able to see deeply
with an incredible clarity, thus
allowing it to map the sky in detail
never see before. the abilities of this
telescope won't end there though.
The SKA will also be helping the
search for and imaging of extra solar
plants. by linking 1000s of telescopes
together astronomers hope to get
enough clarity to directly image the
atmospheres of ES planets. The VLA
is currently the largest and most
advanced array system in the world
the SKA will be X times more
powerful.
But linking 1000+ telescopes
together is no walk in the park. in
fact, the technology to do this doesn't
even exist at the moment.
[description of the SKA challenges]
the challenges facing the GMT and
the TMT are different to the SKA but
they are no less daunting. the giant
Magellan telescope is an optical
telescope, and so there will only be
one. but what it lacks in number it
makes up for in size.
GMT INFO
types of problems e.g. best mountain
in the world to observe, but when
mountain is cut to build telescope
things might change. innovations
Its more than just telescope design
problems that must be considered.
currently the VLT in Chile requires
3XX staff in order to operate. Cooks,
cleaners, telescope operators,
mechanics and more all combine to
ensure the telescopes and
astronomers can observe 365 days a
year. Near to the VLT, ESO will be
building the EELT. EELT [info]
it will require X people, more
preparation time in order to maintain
the mirror.. number of people
projected to look after it.
the rewards for building will be great.
for just as the SKA will look deep
into space to study dark energy and
extrasolar planets, so too will the
giant optical telescopes. One of the
ways these telescopes will observe
the acceleration of the universe is
using quasars. [a quasar is]
and these telescopes will be able to
view quasars in the very beginning of
our universe. By viewing these over
20 years they will b e able to directly
measure the acceleration of the
universe.
these times are of great mystery to us.
current telescopes are simply not able
to view such great distances. Our
description of the universe is reliant
on using simulations to show what
happened in the early universe. and
while these simulations match later
observations, we have so few early
universe observations there is no
good way to tell how accurate they
are.
ROB's GAL FORMATION &
project
the giant optical telescopes will be
able to directly image these early
times allowing us to confirm or
adjust our theories. opening an new
realm to our understanding.
the sheer increase in resolution will
be astounding, we will be able to
directly image planets. Hopefully we
will be able to take spectra of the
atmosphere of planets. these spectra
will allow us to make inferences
about the composition of the planets,
hopefully even allowing us to make
inferences about the existence of life.
Astronomers have realised that in
order to understand the universe
completely you have to look in all the
wavelengths. and the new telescopes
are a reflection of that. The SKA is a
radio telescope, the GMT, TMT,
EELT telescopes are optical and high
above the earth a new breed of space
telescope is about to be launched.
The James Webb Space Telescope is
a next generation IR telescope that
will [James webb Info]
Challenges in designing the James
webb
along with the SKA and optical
telescopes, the James Webb will
probe the early stages of the universe
and extrasolar planets. [reasons for
IR]
other telescopes and other uses for
these telescopes
The future
There is something afoot in the world of astronomy.
Big things are happening.
The giants are coming.
We have learned so much in 400 years since the invention of the telescope, over time
we have slowly built up a deep understanding of the universe. What we once viewed
as a serene, static universe, we now see as a dynamic place. but now astronomers are
about to build ambitious new telescopes in order to push our understanding further...
to understand why, we need to start at the beginning
The beginning of the universe.
Its tiny, a seething mass of energy so densely packed together that single atoms
cannot form. Immense temperatures and pressures exist everywhere. Its our entire
universe and its almost infinitely small.
The universe is expanding and cooling and doing both very quickly. It isn't expanding
into space, before this moment, space did not exist, and now space and time itself is
expanding. In a fraction of a second the universe has gone from the size of a proton to
the size of a soccer ball. A few minutes into the expansion the temperature has
dropped to a mere 1 billion degrees the density of the entire universe is now like the
air on earth. Now protons and neutrons form into atomic nuclei
Talk about matter being connected… even tempteratures -> isotropic result
300000 years pass, the expansion continues and eventually the universe cools
sufficiently to allow hydrogen and helium nuclei to capture an electron:
recombination has occurred.
And we enter the dark ages…
Hydroen and helium are neutral, photons can travel freely and so the universe is
transparent, invisible
The universe is smooth, there are barely any difference
As time progresses, the perturbations in the dark matter collate and clump due to
gravity, attracting more and more material, now galaxies form out of visible, baryonic
matter, the gas and dust, and in these stars are born. Galaxies collide with other
galaxies the larger ones cannibalising the small, stars age and die and other stars form
and the complexity of the system increases. At some point the universe starts to
accelerate in its expansion, some unseen, dark energy pulling the universe further and
further apart. 8 billion years from the start our own solar system forms from a large
rotating ball of gas and dust. As the sun is born it blows away the gas and dust. All
this is occurring in a galaxy out of the billions and billions that have formed in this
universe: we call this galaxy the milky way and we see it when we look up in the
night sky.. and that is a short version of our theory of how the universe formed
There are... Problems with our theory, things we can't explain, things we can't see,
gaps in our knowledge. And the more we have learned the more we have realised how
much we don’t know. Our picture of the universe is clearer, but it is by no means
complete.
This is then, a story about what we don’t know. And what we’re going to do about it.
Giants Among Us
In the summer of 1998 and two teams of scientists were in competition. Both were
studying the same thing. Distant supernova. They had once been one group, before a
disagreement over methods splintered the group, and the rush for results began. They
were using these distant supernovae to confirm the expanding universe.
Only they both came to the same result, and it wasn’t the result they expected. It
wasn’t a result that was even considered.
The universe wasn’t just expanding, it was accelerating in its expansion. Neither
group believed the result and spent a while year trying to disprove their own results.
But eventually, they had to accept their results. The universe was accelerating in its
expansion. A dark energy was at play.
This wasn’t a small discovery, or minor hole in our knowledge, it was a fundamental
problem. Dark energy comprises 70% of the universe. And we’ve only just found out
about it and have absolutely no idea what it is.
Science community kicks in, devise plans to measure wiggleZ, remeasure
supernova… to achieve the WiggleZ project they have come here: the AAT.
[description of AAT and what they're doing to survey the sky]
Only there are significant problems. wiggles needs wide field of view, highly accurate
instrument. currently on AAO. can't see deep into the universe - need 8m class
telescope, but no 8m telescope has the right instruments for this project. WiggleZ is
the start of our research into dark energy, but better instruments are needed to uncover
the secrets of this. what is needed is a telescope with a wide field that can see deep
into the universe.
While this was going on. Planetary scientists were hailing the first planet orbiting
around another star. After many false starts they’d finally done it, they’d proved that a
planet was orbiting around a distant star. And here was the proof. A blurry,
questionable image of a star. Using a trick called the Radial velocity method, the
astronomers measured the movement of the star due to the gravity of the planet. It
was proof, and had monumental implications. But… you couldn’t actually see it. this
pushed the telescope to the very limit of its capability. so over the years, as techniques
improved and telescopes improved, more planets have were discovered. none
however were ever seen directly.
This is, then, an amazing image. To the untrained eye, it might seem like a weird blob
and a few dots but to an astronomer, it is the holy grail, it is the first direct image of
an extrasolar planet.
To achieve this image, Astronomers came here: the Keck Telescope. A 10 meter
giant. [it does this that the other]. in order to be able to see the planet, the telescope
operates on the very best of observing nights, where atmospheric turbulence is
minimal, the telescope is pointed at the planet. A laser of a specific wavelength is
fired into the sky, it is so powerful that when Satellites in space pass by the beam is
switched off, so as to not damage the craft so powerful that 80km into the atmosphere
it hits a layer of gas, the wavelength of the laser coincides with the gas and it ionises
it, this causes the point of gas to glow.. Below on the ground the telescope observes
this laser “guide star”. Which should appear circular, however turbulence in the
atmosphere warps this image destroying the clarity, so the telescope warps the mirrors
in real time adapting the shape of the mirror to compensate for atmospheric
fluctuations. Tiny movements in this fragile 10 meter mirror occur every second,
allowing for a spectacular clarity of image. To suggest this is an amazing achievement
is an understatement, laser guide stars and adaptive optics are on the very forefront of
science. it has allowed Astronomers to conduct research never before considered
possible, and it has allowed them to view the first true image of planets orbiting
around distant stars.
Despite this wonderful achievement, there is still a fundamental problem. The
resolution is tiny, insufficient to answer our questions. Questions we desperately want
answers to. Can these planets, these dots we see in this image, can they sustain life?
Does life already exist there? How did they form. These questions elude us.
It was becoming clear to the Astronomy community that the limit of the current
telescopes was being reached for certain aspects of the science. we need to see further
back into time. and so the plans have begun to take these wonders of modern
engineering. and push the limits even further.
But how do you take the most advanced instruments in the world and make them
better? these instruments already represent the very pinnacle of engineering.
to improve them is a huge task
There are a number of telescope projects in design at the moment. these include:
TMT, GMT, EELT, SKA, James Webb.
each in themselves are a significant undertaking, together they represent a
breathtaking engineering challenge in our push to understand the universe around us.
The challenges facing engineers are only just being realised.
The need for a wide field that can view deep into space will be solved by this: (SKA
telescope) or more precisely these. a square kilometre array of these telescopes linked
together to make one large dish. One of the main goals of the SKA will be to take
over the survey work being done by telescopes such as the AAT. the SKA will have a
giant field of view and will be able to see deeply with an incredible clarity, thus
allowing it to map the sky in detail never see before. the abilities of this telescope
won't end there though. The SKA will also be helping the search for and imaging of
extra solar plants. by linking 1000s of telescopes together astronomers hope to get
enough clarity to directly image the atmospheres of ES planets. The VLA is currently
the largest and most advanced array system in the world the SKA will be X times
more powerful.
But linking 1000+ telescopes together is no walk in the park. in fact, the technology
to do this doesn't even exist at the moment. [description of the SKA challenges]
the challenges facing the GMT and the TMT are different to the SKA but they are no
less daunting. the giant Magellan telescope is an optical telescope, and so there will
only be one. but what it lacks in number it makes up for in size.
GMT INFO
types of problems e.g. best mountain in the world to observe, but when mountain is
cut to build telescope things might change. innovations
Its more than just telescope design problems that must be considered.
currently the VLT in Chile requires 3XX staff in order to operate. Cooks, cleaners,
telescope operators, mechanics and more all combine to ensure the telescopes and
astronomers can observe 365 days a year. Near to the VLT, ESO will be building the
EELT. EELT [info]
it will require X people, more preparation time in order to maintain the mirror..
number of people projected to look after it.
the rewards for building these optical telescopes will be great. for just as the SKA will
look deep into space to study dark energy and extrasolar planets, so too will the giant
optical telescopes. One of the ways these telescopes will observe the acceleration of
the universe is using quasars. [a quasar is]
and these telescopes will be able to view quasars in the very beginning of our
universe. By viewing these over 20 years they will b e able to directly measure the
acceleration of the universe.
these times are of great mystery to us. current telescopes are simply not able to view
such great distances. Our description of the universe is reliant on using simulations to
show what happened in the early universe. and while these simulations match later
observations, we have so few early universe observations there is no good way to tell
how accurate they are.
ROB's GAL FORMATION & project
the giant optical telescopes will be able to directly image these early times allowing
us to confirm or adjust our theories. opening an new realm to our understanding.
the sheer increase in resolution will be astounding, we will be able to directly image
planets. Hopefully we will be able to take spectra of the atmosphere of planets. these
spectra will allow us to make inferences about the composition of the planets,
hopefully even allowing us to make inferences about the existence of life.
Astronomers have realised that in order to understand the universe completely you
have to look in all the wavelengths. and the new telescopes are a reflection of that.
The SKA is a radio telescope, the GMT, TMT, EELT telescopes are optical and high
above the earth a new breed of space telescope is about to be launched. The James
Webb Space Telescope is a next generation IR telescope that will [James webb Info]
along with the SKA and optical telescopes, the James Webb will probe the early
stages of the universe and extrasolar planets. [reasons for IR]
other telescopes and other uses for these telescopes
The future
Parkes and general relativity
Keck and the search for planets
AAO and Wigglez, dark energy
GMT
Planets and their formation
Stellar population and Chemical evolution
Assembly of galaxies
Black holes
Dark energy and accelerating universe.
SKA
The dark ages
Cradle of life: earthlike planets
General relativity
Dark energy
James Webb
Dark Ages
Solar & Extrasolar Planets