Download History of Telescopes

Astronomy
MARCH 2017
History of Telescopes
PART A: Remember, as an extra credit option you can make 3 observations of your own from your house (or elsewhere). The
Directions/Explanation is detailed on my website as OPTION 2. You do not need a telescope or binoculars, but if you have either
you can use them too! The only true requirement is to have a clear sky. There are many tools that can help you to identify what you
might be seeing. For example we made a Star Chart Disc to assist you with becoming familiar with the sky. There are many websites
online that offer assistance to the ever changing night sky as well. Below is a link to Tonight’s Sky. Please click on the link and
watch the 5 minute video to help you.
http://amazing-space.stsci.edu/tonights_sky/
1. Which planets will be visible just after sun down?
Which direction?
Are they visible all month long?
2. What planet takes the place of Venus?
When does this happen?
What direction?
3. In the late evening, which planet should you watch for rising in the east?
What features could you see with a good telescope?
4. Which constellations make their appearance? Winter, Spring, Summer or Fall
What are the names of two of these constellations?
What is the zodiac?
5. What is the mythological story of Gemini?
What are the 2 bright stars?
What is the name of the fuzzy patch?
6. What is the mythological story of Cancer?
7. Why is cancer hard to see?
8. THINK: What causes light pollution? (not in video, research this answer)
9. Ancients called it the CLOUDY STAR, what do we call it now?
What is it made of?
How far is it from us?
10. Which planet may you see to the South-East in the pre-dawn hours?
What famous feature does this planet have?
PART B: To summarize the importance of the telescope, I have found a website that will assist you in understanding the
history of the telescope. Please click on the link
http://amazing-space.stsci.edu/resources/explorations/groundup/index.php
This first page is a SITE MAP. I have some questions that follow a particular “chapter”. Please read the section and
answer the corresponding questions in a neat and organized manner on a separate sheet of paper.
ERA OF GALILEO’S REFRACTOR
1.
2.
3.
4.
5.
6.
What year did Galileo make his first astronomical observation?
What was Galileo’s first name?
How many lenses did his first telescopes have?
What type of Universe did Ptolemy believe?
Why did Galileo’s discoveries get him into trouble?
What did Galileo SEE through his telescope that was evidence that the Earth was not the center of the universe?
7. What was Galileo’s legal fate? What was his punishment?
ERA OF EARLY REFRACTORS
8. Explain chromatic aberration.
9. Refracting telescopes were getting longer and longer. Why did these telescopes have to get so big?
ERA OF NEWTON’S REFLECTOR
10. What type of telescope to Newton invent?
11. Why does his telescope not cause chromatic aberration?
ERA OF EARLY REFLECTORS
12. What shape must an objective mirror be in order to eliminate Spherical Aberration?
13. Why do stars twinkle?
14. If you were viewing from the moon would stars twinkle? Why or why not?
ERA OF HUGE REFLECTORS
15. Instead of eyepiece lenses, what are used in place of the lens in huge reflecting telescopes?
ERA OF SPACE TELESCOPES
16. What are the advantages of Space Telescopes?
17. What are the disadvantages of Space Telescopes?