Optical Telescopes Part I

Posted in Telescopes on October 28th, 2010 by admin

The beginning of modern Astronomy is often linked to Galileo building his first telescope in 1609 — roughly 400 years ago! While he was not the first person to use a telescope, Galileo made many fascinating discoveries, ultimately revealing that the Earth orbits the sun.

This video showcases the Zenith Telescope, built by Troughton & Simms in London, England circa 1872. Surveyors used this telescope to mark the boundary between Canada and the United States along the 49th parallel in western Canada.

To learn more about Telescopes, visit the Canada Science and Technology Museum.

http://www.sciencetech.technomuses.ca/

Duration : 0:2:25

Read more »

Technorati Tags: , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , ,

Tags: , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , ,

Radio Telescopes

Posted in Telescopes on July 15th, 2010 by admin

The Sun and stars emits radio waves — not just visible and infrared light. In the 1930s, Karl Jansky built the first devise to “listen” to the sun, collecting radio waves from far off stars and focusing them onto a detector. This invention provided astronomers with a completely different view of the Universe — prompting the discovery of radio stars, quasars, and black holes.

This video features a model of the Algonquin Radio Observatory (ARO), located in Ontario’s Algonquin Provincial Park. In 1968, astronomers combined signals from the ARO with those from the Dominion Astrophysical Radio Observatory in Penticton, British Columbia forming a new instrument called a Long Baseline Interferometer.

To learn more about Astronomy and Telescopes, visit the Canada Science and Technology Museum.

http://www.sciencetech.technomuses.ca/

Duration : 0:3:7

Read more »

Technorati Tags: , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , ,

Tags: , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , ,

Astronomy for Kids: Teaching the Young Ones about the Universe Now

Posted in universe on September 20th, 2008 by admin

Who says that the sky and other heavenly bodies are for adults alone? Perhaps you haven’t heard of Astronomy for kids. Children are known to be curious individuals. The world is their own observatory, where everything that they can sense—see, smell, touch, taste, and hear—are all worth exploring. They always have questions ready and would never settle for second-rate answers. Read more »

Technorati Tags: , , ,

Tags: , , ,