4.2 Detecting Celestial Bodies and the Moon

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1 4.2 Detecting Celestial Bodies and the Moon Astronomers cannot conduct experiments on celestial objects, they can only observe them at a distance. However, today's technology allows us to see farther into outer space than ever before. Our current knowledge of the Universe has been greatly improved by the development of the telescope. For example, when Carolyn Shoemaker, Eugene Shoemaker, and David Levy discovered a comet orbiting Jupiter, they were looking at images produced by a powerful telescope. Telescopes A telescope is an instrument that allows us to see objects that are very far away. Telescopes use mirrors and lenses to collect beams of light from a source and produce a magnified image. A telescope can collect up to 1 million times more light than the human eye can. There are two basic kinds of telescopes: a refracting telescope and a reflecting telescope. Refracting Telescopes A refracting telescope is a simple tube with a lens (piece of curved glass) at each end. The lenses refract, or bend, light. The observer can view objects through the eyepiece or attach a camera to the telescope to record an image. Refracting telescopes are known for providing sharp images. The larger the lens, the more light it can gather and the sharper the image. However, a refracting telescope with a very large lens is expensive and difficult to build.

2 Reflecting Telescopes The size limit for lenses in refracting telescopes means that they cannot always be used to observe celestial objects that are very distant. The scientist lsaac Newton solved this problem. He replaced the lenses with curved mirrors. A telescope that uses mirrors instead of lenses is called a reflecting telescope. Telescopes in Space Astronomers realized that Earth's atmosphere prevented images from being as clear as they could be. One solution was to place telescopes on high mountaintops. Another solution was to place telescopes above the atmosphere, in space. In 1990, the Hubble Space Telescope (HST) was launched into orbit around Earth. The largest mirror in the HST is 2.4 m in diameter. The HST produces clearer images than telescopes on Earth four times its size. *The End of the HST? - The James Webb Space Telescope, successor to the Hubble Space Telescope, is expected to launch in This telescope has a mirror that is 6.5 m in diameter.

3 The Moon The Moon appears as the largest, brightest object in the night sky because it is the closest celestial object to Earth. Formation of the Moon Scientists believe that 4.6 billion years ago, Earth was struck by an object the size of Mars. This collision caused molten rock from Earth to fly out into space, forming the Moon. A Nearly Solid Interior The Moon started out as hot liquid (molten) rock, but it is now mostly solid. We know this because of experiments done by NASA in the 1970s. Astronauts placed vibrationmeasuring instruments on the Moon. Later, an old moon rocket was deliberately crashed into the surface of the Moon. The effect was like hitting a bell with a hammer. The Moon started to vibrate from the crash, and the instruments measured the vibrations. lf this experiment had been done on Earth, which has liquid rock in its core, the vibrations would have stopped after a few minutes. However, on the Moon, the vibrations continued for more than three hours. Scientists concluded that the Moon was mostly solid because solid rock vibrates longer than liquid rock. Molten Rock That Cooled As the molten rock that formed the Moon cooled, heavy matter sank to the centre of the ball, and lighter materials floated to the surface, forming three layers.

4 Seas and Mountains Later in the Moon's history, volcanic eruptions took place, spilling molten rock onto the surface and leaving large areas of dark rock. We call these areas maria, or "seas," because early scientists thought the dark areas on the Moon were bodies of water. Mountains are also found on the edges of many of these maria. Many of these mountains were formed as a result of asteroid impacts.

5 An Uneven Surface Small, rocky celestial objects in orbit around the Sun are called asteroids. Asteroids have collided with the Moon's surface, creating bowl-shaped holes in the rocky surface called craters. The Moon's surface has become very uneven because of these collisions. Learning all about the Moon The Moon is the only celestial object on which humans have landed. Between 1969 and 1972, six Moon landings were made and 12 astronauts were able to explore the Moon's surface. The information about the Moon gathered on these missions is extremely valuable. *Many of the space technology spinoffs were the results of information gathered on these Moon missions.* Moon Rocks One of the most important achievements of the Moon missions was the collection of moon rocks. The rocks on the Moon are extremely old, even older than the rocks on Earth. These ancient rocks gave scientists valuable information about what the early Solar System was like and how the Moon formed.

6 Working on the Moon Astronauts working on the Moon had to wear bulky spacesuits to protect them from the harsh conditions. There is no atmosphere on the Moon, so there is no air. Surface temperatures range from 100 C in direct sunlight to -100 C in the shade. Exploring the Moon's Surface With its fine layer of dust, deep craters, and tall mountains, the Moon's surface is uneven. This can make it a dangerous place to move around. To make moving around easier, astronauts on Moon missions drove the lunar rover, an electric jeep-like vehicle. There may someday be permanent facilities on the Moon to provide a base for future exploration of the Solar System. If humans return to the Moon, new technology may be needed to deal with its rough surface conditions. Water on the Moon In 1998, a robot probe called Prospector landed on the Moon and found evidence of ice hidden in craters in the Moon's polar regions. These pockets of ice might someday be melted to supply a future Moon base with water. They might also be broken down into oxygen (for astronauts to breath) or hydrogen (for rocket fuel).

7 Worksheet Much of our current knowledge about celestial objects was gained using telescopes. What makes the telescope such an important tool for astronomical research? 2. What is the difference between a reflecting telescope and a refracting telescope? 3. (a) What were some of the limitations of telescopes that astronomers encountered? (b) Give two examples of how astronomers were able to overcome these limitations. 4. Where could you go if you wanted to get the clearest observation possible of the night sky? Explain why. 5. How did scientists determine that the Moon is mostly made of solid rock? 6. Describe how the surface of the Moon got its craters. 7. What conditions on the Moon's surface do you think engineers had to consider when they designed the lunar rover? 8. Why do you think the Moon's surface is so different from Earth's? 9. Do you think explorers from Earth should ever return to the Moon? Explain your answer.

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