Running head: STARS AND TELESCOPES PAPER

Stars and Telescopes Paper
University of Phoenix
SCI 151
Telescopes in Astronomy

Some basic knowledge of telescopes in astronomy will be examined in this paper. For many years telescopes have been used for observing celestial objects. Telescopes have changed our understanding and knowledge by observing objects in the universe. New developments have been discovered based on measuring the wavelength omitted from the celestial objects with improved technology creating many kinds of telescopes. Studying different stages of stars in detail can be done by using different telescopes that are used for specific purposes. This paper will touch base on the history of telescopes, the development of telescopes, and the function, and purposed of telescopes in our universe. Since the seventeenth century the telescope has become one of the important instruments to reveal unsuspected phenomena in the heavens and universe. The controversy between traditional geocentric astronomy and those favored the heliocentric system of Copernicus has had major influence from the discoveries from the telescope. The telescope gave men the opportunity to observe things that mankind had never seen before, increasing men’s senses and knowledge of objects in outer space. Originally the invention of the telescope was a prototype of modern scientific instruments, not an invention of scientists. Craftsmen created the instrument we refer to as the telescope. Using convex and concave objects to magnifying and diminishing was known as antiquity. In the West at the end of the thirteenth century lenses became popular. Galileo was the first to use a refracting telescope as an instrument to observe, planets, moons, and stars in 1609. Galileo adopted the Greek term ‘tele’ as far, and ‘skopein’ as to look, for the name of the instruments to observe the sky. Galileo proved that the heliocentric model of the solar system predictions were correct because he demonstrated that Venus exhibited a full set of phases similar to the Moon. Galileo’s discovery also proved the Ptolemy’s model was impossible from his observations. Galileo’s discoveries changed our understanding of the universe by his observations made with the telescope. The wavelengths of light that can be detected are classified by the design of the telescope. Objects in the X-ray spectrum are observed with X-ray telescopes. The atmosphere is opaque or blocked any gamma rays, x-rays, and ultraviolet light can be used only in space so there are no X-ray telescopes that areground-based. Light from distant objects and shorter wavelengths can be detected with X-ray telescopes. Optical telescopes are the most common telescopes because they are mainly used to observe distant objects with visible part of the electromagnetic spectrum or visible light. Because visible light can be observable from Earth most of the optical telescopes can be set up on ground. Some atmospheric distortion can cause the observations to be no accurate in the findings. Other common types of telescopes that can be set up on the ground are radio telescopes that are used for radio astronomy. Because it can receive radio wavelength from the universe the dishes of the telescopes are open and relatively bigger. Because the atmosphere does not block any radio wavelength the radio telescope does not need to set up above the Earth’s atmosphere. The radio telescope can be used to observe object such as quasars. Optical and radio telescopes are often located in the mountains or outside city limits because of the light pollution from cities can affect the result of the observations. Different electrical machines cause radio waves, which can also affect the observation used with radio telescopes. Between the towns of Datil and Magdalena, New Mexico, USA there is a Very Large Array that is used mainly to observe protoplanetary disks around young stars and black holes. The VLA has been set up outside of town in order to avoid the distraction from the cities during the observation when investigating many astronomical objects. Scientists used ground-based telescopes to see visible light and radio waves from the star. To study the universe at all wavelengths and free from the blurring and obscuring effect of the Earth’s atmosphere scientist use satellites with telescopes. Many objects in the universe emit light so different telescopes can provide snapshots of these objects in different stages of development. Scientists need to study radio waves from young stars to study the birth of stars and to study the death of stars, scientist need to used x-ray telescopes because these stars omit x-ray often. To determine their cosmological redshift, VLA can study deep sky for quasars and galaxies by spectroscopy. It helps map the structure of the universe because redshift is proportional to distance. While VLA can search for the slight distortions of images, it is important to study large-scale images of the galaxies. Hubble Space Telescope is another typical example that can study deeply into one region of the sky to reveal galaxies in the early stages of their evolution. It can collect more precise and detailed images without the absence of atmospheric distortion. By mapping out hot gas in clusters of galaxies by using Chandra satellite, NASA has planned studies of black holes throughout the universe. NASA Chandra satellite has provided a detail study of X-ray sky, in contrast to these telescopes. The study of dark energy and dark matter are very different. Because it does not omit any kind of light and wavelength, the telescopes can only help study partly because it cannot directly observe the dark constituents of the universe. To study these objects scientists have built a number of new detectors. The study of dark energy and dark matter can be possible by combining these new detectors, combined with telescopes.
Conclusion
A numerous way to examine the stars, planets, and objects in the universe is the telescope. New objects in the sky were discovered when Galileo used the telescope to provide the heliocentric view. Different kinds of telescopes have been developed to observe stars in different wavelengths throughout the universe. Telescopes still have a functional use in astronomy, although some objects, dark energy, and dark matter, cannot be directly observed. New technology in the future will create better telescopes and instruments for scientists to discover unknown objects in our universe.

References
Bennett, J. O., Donahue, M., Schneider, N. O., & Voit, M. (2010). The cosmic perspective (6th ed.). Boston, MA: Addison Wesley.
National Radio Astronomy Observatory, Very Large Array, Available at: http://www.vla.nrao.edu/
National Aeronautics and Space Administration, The Hubble Space Telescope: Available at: http://asd.gsfc.nasa.gov/archive/hubble/