NASA CSU SASS - Program Descriptions - 2003

NASA's Saturday Academy for Space Science 2003-2004
Chicago State University - Science Building

Module II 2004: Cosmology and Engineering
January 10, 17, 24, 31; February 7, 14, 21, 28; March 6, 13
Each session meets Saturday, Noon to 4 p.m.

Gravitational Lensing; What is your Cosmic Connection to the Elements? Spectroscopy; Black Holes and Supernovas; Adler Planetarium Field Trip and Mars Exploration; Build Your Own Telescope; Build Your Own Robot; Distance Ladder; How Big is the Universe?

January 10, 2004 Dr. Dara Norman is an astronomer working at the Cerro Tololo Inter-American Observatory in Chile. She is a scientist on the Deep Lens Survey (DLS) http://dls.bell-labs.com/. Dr. Dara Norman searches for the effects of 'Gravitational Lenses' in Space. Dara went to HS in the area and took summer courses at Chicago State University; her grandmother still lives in the neighborhood! She is our special guest on this Saturday in January because she is traveling back to the US this month to attend the meeting of the American Astronomical Society.

During this session we will work with models of how gravity distorts space-time. Dara will present her work as an astronomer with the Deep Lens Survey and be available for questions and discussion with the students. We will develop an observing plan for using the Yerkes telescopes by request or using the KIT telescope in Tokyo remotely during this Saturday's session. We will do experiments with our models of the fabric of space-time.

Deep Lens Survey (DLS) http://dls.bell-labs.com/. Try the links to the Deep Color Images, Transients, and Interactive color Images.

The Cerro Tololo observatory also publishes to the web its all sky camera images. http://www.ctio.noao.edu/~david/tasca.htm

NASA's Hubble Space Telescope Images
Hubble Space Telescope Image of Gravitational Lensing. Download abell-2218.fts and open with HOU-IP.

"Through the Looking Glass" http://science.nasa.gov/newhome/headlines/ast14may99_1.htm

Top Ten Gravitational Lens Candidates http://makara.phys.cmu.edu/~kavan/lenses/

NASA's Gravity Probe B http://einstein.stanford.edu/ This site addresses some of the concepts related to the affect of gravity on space-time. Be sure to see the Educator Guide in the gp-b classroom http://einstein.stanford.edu/content/education/EducatorsGuide/Frame.html .   We will build a Curved Spacetime Frame Model for this session and the session on black holes. The link provides diagrams and guidelines.

January 17, 2004 Spectroscopy and Identifying Elements in the Stars!

Stars are different colors and brightnesses. Where is all that energy coming from? How do stars differ from one another! Do we need any other stars besides our Sun? Does Earth exist because of the Sun or were other stars involved in the systems that preceded the formation of our Sun and the Solar System?



Make your own Spectroscope! You will need a diffraction grating, the poster cutout, scissors and tape. To investigate spectra we will look at gas emission tubes, the fluorescent lights, and observe a light bulb shining at various temperatures by controlling the output with a dimmer switch. Astronomers, physicists, and chemists use spectra to analyze the presence or absence of elements or compounds by viewing the signature in absorption or emission lines in the spectra from a luminous object.

Spectra of Gas Discharges http://home.achilles.net/~jtalbot/data/elements/

Spectra and What Scientists Learn from Them. http://imagine.gsfc.nasa.gov/docs/science/how_l1/spectra.html

Astronomy textbook by Dinah L. Moche, Chapter 3: The Stars

Teamwork Challenge: Pass a hula hoop around the circle of students without letting it touch the floor! Reflect on personal attributes that contribute to successful teams. Think about and write about your dreams.

Physics Labs:

Make a spectrum projector and capture the colors of light

.     Computer Lab: Analyze images of spectra of stars and galaxies from Sloan Digital Sky Survey.
^{Sloan Digital Sky Survey

http://skyserver.sdss.org/dr1/en/sdss/

Sloan Digital Sky Survey Sky-Server

http://skyserver.sdss.org/dr1/en/

Hertzprung-Russell Diagram

http://skyserver.sdss.org/dr1/en/astro/stars/stars.asp}

January 24th, 2004 Star Cycles, Elements, Black Holes, Gravity and Curved Space Time

Guest Astronomer: Dr. James Sweitzer

Curved Spacetime Models. We will re-assemble our curved spacetime models to explore black holes.

What is Your Cosmic Connection to the Elements? http://www.ccs.ednet.ns.ca/mason/nasaproject/poster10.htm

Power Point Presentation

We will explore the creation of elements by processes in the cosmos, especially in stars. We will color code a Periodic Table of the Elements according to where in the Cosmos each element was formed: Big Bang, Small Stars, Large Stars, Supernovae, or Cosmic Rays.

What is a Black Hole and how does it work? We will learn about black holes and explore a few important questions about them. How can we see black holes? How can we hear black holes? and What would it be like to fall into a black hole? We'll watch an excellent video about black holes. Then we will explore the concepts we need to answer these questions.

Exploring the ideas of energy transfer will be accomplished by using a paper rocket launcher made from PVC pipe and powered by air put under pressure with a bicycle pump!

We will use the curved spacetime devices you have already made to see what it would be like near a black hole. Finally, we will take a look at some space missions that have observed evidence for black holes and to see what scientists are planning for the future.

Supernova Light Curve! In the computer lab we will plot the light curve of a supernova; a supernova happens when a very massive star explodes and in its aftermath a black hole or neutron star is produced along with a lot of the elements found on Earth and in You!   http://sunra.lbl.gov/cgi/listimages?none+uncompressed_unit+none

Here are some websites to investigate for learning more about Black Holes!

NASA's Chandra Mission: http://chandra.harvard.edu/index.html

    Black Hole Gallery: http://chandra.harvard.edu/photo/category/blackholes.html

    Field Guide to Black Holes: http://chandra.harvard.edu/xray_sources/blackholes.html

    Black Holes Q&A (questions and answers): http://chandra.harvard.edu/resources/faq/black_hole/bhole-main.html

NASA's LISA Mission: http://lisa.jpl.nasa.gov/

Goddard Space Flight Center

    Imagine the Universe, Black Holes: http://imagine.gsfc.nasa.gov/docs/teachers/blackholes/blackholes.html

How Stuff Works, Black Holes: http://howstuffworks.lycoszone.com/black-hole.htm/printable

A more advanced site about Black Holes: http://www.damtp.cam.ac.uk/user/gr/public/bh_home.html

January 31st, 2004 Adler Planetarium and Astronomy Museum Field Trip http://www.adlerplanetarium.org/ (noon to 4pm)
Mars Exploration http://www.adlerplanetarium.org/mars/index.shtml

We saw two shows: Mars Now! and Journey to Infinity. We also visited the Solar System Gallery and saw the first planetarium in Chicago, the Atwood Sphere.

February 7th, 2004 Build Your Own Telescope I

Your Cosmic Connection to the Elements! (continued). We will do a modeling activity to explore the abundances of elements in various objects. http://imagine.gsfc.nasa.gov/docs/teachers/elements/imagine/14.html

Exploring Lenses and Images. Explore converging and diverging lenses. Using inquiry methods, distinguish between these kinds of lenses. Measure the focal length of the lens you will use when you make your very own telescope. Using HOU-IP software and the Optical Powers lessons 5A and 5B, explore the effect focal length has on image size.

Plans for Making our Refracting Telescope are from Rico Tyler's The Frugal Telescope Maker: Telescope Making for those Short on Money and Mechanical Aptitude.   http://www.madbbs.com/~bemusabord/frugalscope.html We begin this project this week by measuring the focal length of the objective lens of our telescope. All students, teaching assistants, and staff will make their own telescope. It is important that everyone arrives promptly each week. We have modified Rico Tyler's plans. See telescope picture and link under Feb. 21st plans. http://staff.oprfhs.org/~kmccarron/sass/

February 14th, 2004 Build Your Own Robot I Pictures of students at work.

On this first day of robot building the objective is to solder the circuit board that controls the robot. Here are a few more pictures.

The robots we are building are these:

http://electronickits.com/robot/owi9727.htm http://electronickits.com/robot/owi9737.htm

February 21st, 2004 Build Your Own Telescope I Pictures of students at work.

Pictures, diagrams and description telescope making process. http://staff.oprfhs.org/~kmccarron/sass/

The steps we will follow are these:

cut the PVC tubes to length (mitre box)

cut the mirror for the diagonals (glass cutter)

cut the half-circles for the side boards (jigsaw and drill with drum
sander)

cut the diagonal tube and dremel out the inside stuff (hacksaw and
dremel maybe mitre box)

paint the insides of the materials (PVC spraypaint)

dremel out the snap in drains for the lens (dremel)

glue on the diagonal mirror (aquarium cement and paint thinner)

glue in the lens (aquarium cement and paint thinner)

drill, countersink, and assemble the base (drills)

sand the base (sandpaper)

install the T-nut (drill and hammer)

install the lazy susan (screwdriver)

finish the base (paint or varnish)

install the chair glides (hammer)

paint the outside of the tube (PVC primer and paint)

install the draincover altitude rollers (screwdriver)

tap two holes for the set screws in the male adapter for the (tap)

glue the PVC (PVC primer and solvent)

assemble the telescope (patience)

test everything (even more patience)

You will need to follow safety guidelines exactly and responsibly. Your goggles must be worn at all times. You will use the 'hoods' work area for working with substances that have fumes.

The assembly of the telescope follows these steps approximately:

The drain fitting goes into a 4in long piece of 3in PVC.

That "lens cell" goes into a 3in to 2in reducer.

That reducer goes onto a 20in long piece of 2in PVC.

That goes into a 2in to 1 1/2 in reducer.

That goes into a 1 1/2 in sink trap.

That goes into a T-End adapter fitting.

The eyepiece goes into a 1 1/2 in male reducer.

The telescope goes onto a small wood dob base. (This is similar to the 6in telescope base SASS students constructed last year.)

February 28th, 2004 Build Your Own Telescope II

Link to more pictures of students at work on their telescopes!

This week we had some special guests from Japan, Teachers, Education Officials, and Astronomers! Students enjoyed Japanese treats while they summarized what they learned during this session.

March 5th, 2004 Continue working on the telescopes. Complete a self-evaluation. Make a power point slide about SASS and you!

March 13th 2004 Build Your Own Robot II. Finish your telescope. Complete SASS Post-Survey!

Core Instructional Team: Kevin McCarron, Pamela Greyer, Vanessa Hughes, Jackie Barge, Martha Robinson. Teacher Assistants: Erin Robinson, Nikcole Robinson, Kristin Smith. Administrative Assistant: Tangilla. Module Developer: Vivian Hoette. Program Manager: Kevin G. Smith. Principal Investigator: Dr. Floyd Banks. Academic Dean: Dr. Rachel W. Lindsey.

SASS Schedules for 2003-4.

Last Year's Program: SASS Fall Module 2003; SASS 2002-2003

Comments, Suggestions, Questions?, Ideas!
Email Vivian Hoette at vhoette@yerkes.uchicago.edu 03/12/2004 15:25