08+HOW+WE+STUDY+SPACE

3.5 Describe the use of other regions of the electromagnetic spectrum by some modern telescopes. 3.6 Describe the methods used to gather evidence for life beyond Earth, including space probes, soil experiments by landers, Search for Extraterrestrial Intelligence (SETI). 3.7 Demonstrate an understanding of the impact of data gathered by modern telescopes on our understanding of the Universe, including: a) observation of galaxies because of improved magnification b) the discovery of objects not detectable using visible light c) the ability to collect more data 3.8 what a spectrometer is 3.9 Explain why some telescopes are located outside the Earth's atmosphere. 3.10 Analyse data provided to support the location of telescopes outside the Earth's atmosphere.

=﻿**__How we study ... space__**=

__Spectroscopy[[image:http://www.astro.virginia.edu/class/oconnell/astr130/im/Solar-spectrum-medlrg-NOAO.jpg width="342" height="127" align="right"]]__
Spectroscopes are used to split visible light into it's constituate colours. However, as elements burn in different colours, when looking at certain objects this will not be an entire spectrum. Using this incomplete spectrum, scientists can work out what a elements a star is burning. Scientists can also use this information as part of the SETI programme to work out which stars might have habitable (warm/cool enough) planets orbiting them

Spectroscopy of the Sun

__Telescopes__
Telescopes are used by astronomers (scientists who study space) to look at space using data gathered from the electromagnetic spectrum. We call these photographs (photo- latin for light; graph- latin for image). Humans can only see in what we call the visible wavelength. However, there are many other types of light, hence there are many types of telescopes. These are: These simply capture and magnify visible light. People can look straight into these without a computer system as we can see visible light. You can buy this type in a shop, however more powerful versions are built on top of mountains and can take better pictures. Others, like the Hubble telescope, orbit the Earth so that the images they get are not distorted by the Earth's atmosphere.
 * Optical Telescopes:

Radio telescopes observe radio waves. As humans cannot see radio waves, these telescopes have a large computer matrix to convert the image into something that humans can comprehend. Radio waves are only needed to observe very dim or far away object, as their light has been red shifted into lower frequencies. One object which can only really be observed via radio telescopes are quasars and pulsars. They can also be implemented into the SETI programme, to search for radio signals
 * Radio Telescopes:

X-ray telescopes recieve x-rays and use them to build up an image. x-rays cannot penetrate our atmosphere, therefore these telescopes must be put in to orbit, where they can wirelessly send the information back to Earth and it can be converted into comprehensable images. Objects like black holes don't emit visible light (hence black) but emit two streams of x-rays, which is how they can be observed. These images have actually led to the discovery of black holes
 * X-Ray Telescopes:

Gamma ray telescopes use gamma rays to produce images. As Gamma rays are blocked by the Earth's atmosphere these telescopes are positioned outside the atmosphere, like x-ray telescopes. Gamma rays are emitted as a result of nuclear fusion so they are a good way took observe far away stars. These rays are highly ionizing and dangerous to humans.
 * Gamma-ray Telescopes:

Nutrinos are very small atomic partical which can pass through matter almost completely unaffected. They travel close to the speed of light, have a neutral electric charge and almost no (but still have) mass. To detect them you need a neutrino telescope. These are built underground, where anlu neutrinos can reach them, and comprise of a large body of water or ice, which the neutrinos will bounce around inside. to image the neutrinos the water is surrounded by light detectors. These neutrino telescopes are so far almost useless, as so far only the sun and supernova SN1987A. However, Neutrino tlescopes are still in development.
 * Neutrino telescopes:[[image:http://upload.wikimedia.org/wikipedia/commons/9/93/Sudbury_sno.jpg width="169" height="202" align="right"]]