Question 1

Modern telescopes use mirrors rather than lenses for all of these reasons EXCEPT

1) Light passing through lenses can be absorbed or scattered.

2) Large lenses can be very heavy.

3) Large lenses are more difficult to make.

4) Mirrors can be computer controlled to improve resolution.

5) Reflecting telescopes aren’t affected by the atmosphere as much.

Question 1

Modern telescopes use mirrors rather than lenses for all of these reasons EXCEPT

1) Light passing through lenses can be absorbed or scattered.

2) Large lenses can be very heavy.

3) Large lenses are more difficult to make.

4) Mirrors can be computer controlled to improve resolution.

5) Reflecting telescopes aren’t affected by the atmosphere as much.

Reflecting instruments like the KECK telescopes can be made larger, and more capable, than refractors.

Question 2

Resolution is improved by using

1) larger telescopes & longer wavelengths.

2) infrared light.

3) larger telescopes & shorter wavelengths.

4) lower frequency light.

5) visible light.

Question 2

Resolution is improved by using

1) larger telescopes & longer wavelengths.

2) infrared light.

3) larger telescopes & shorter wavelengths.

4) lower frequency light.

5) visible light.

Diffraction limits resolution; larger telescopes & shorter wave light produces sharper images.

1) bend around corners and edges.

2) separate into its component colors.

3) bend through a lens.

4) disperse within a prism.

5) reflect off a mirror.

Diffraction is the tendency of light to

Question 3

1) bend around corners and edges.

2) separate into its component colors.

3) bend through a lens.

4) disperse within a prism.

5) reflect off a mirror.

Diffraction is the tendency of light to

Question 3

Diffraction affects all telescopes and limits the sharpness of all images.

1) they don’t require chemical development.

2) digital data is easily stored & transmitted.

3) CCDs are more light sensitive than film.

4) CCD images can be developed faster.

5) All of the above are true.

An advantage of CCDs over photographic film is

Question 4

1) they don’t require chemical development.

2) digital data is easily stored & transmitted.

3) CCDs are more light sensitive than film.

4) CCD images can be developed faster.

5) All of the above are true.

An advantage of CCDs over photographic film is

Question 4

1) the quality of the telescope’s optics.

2) the transparency of a telescope’s lens.

3) the sharpness of vision of your eyes.

4) the image quality due to air stability.

5) the sky’s clarity & absence of clouds.

“Seeing” in astronomy is a measurement of

Question 5

“Seeing” in astronomy is a measurement of

Question 5

“Good Seeing” occurs when the atmosphere is clear and the air is still.

Turbulent air produces “poor seeing”, and fuzzier images.

Point images of a star

Smeared overall image of star

1) the quality of the telescope’s optics.

2) the transparency of a telescope’s lens.

3) the sharpness of vision of your eyes.

4) the image quality due to air stability.

5) the sky’s clarity & absence of clouds.

Question 6

“Adaptive Optics” refers to

1) making telescopes larger or smaller.

2) reducing atmospheric blurring using computer control.

3) collecting different kinds of light with one type of telescope.

4) using multiple linked telescopes.

Question 6

“Adaptive Optics” refers to

1) making telescopes larger or smaller.

2) reducing atmospheric blurring using computer control.

3) collecting different kinds of light with one type of telescope.

4) using multiple linked telescopes.

Shaping a mirror in “real time” can dramatically improve resolution.

Question 7

Radio Telescopes are useful because

1) observations can be made day & night.

2) we can see objects that don’t emit visible light.

3) radio waves are not blocked by interstellar dust.

4) they can be linked to form interferometers.

5) All of the above are true.

Question 7

Radio Telescopes are useful because

1) observations can be made day & night.

2) we can see objects that don’t emit visible light.

3) radio waves are not blocked by interstellar dust.

4) they can be linked to form interferometers.

5) All of the above are true.

The Very Large Array links separate radio telescopes to create much better resolution.

Radio dishes are large in order to

Question 8

1) improve angular resolution.

2) give greater magnification.

3) increase the range of waves they can collect.

4) detect shorter waves than optical telescopes for superior resolution.

Radio dishes are large in order to

Question 8

Resolution is worse with long-wave light, so radio telescopes must be large to compensate.

1) improve angular resolution.

2) give greater magnification.

3) increase the range of waves they can collect.

4) detect shorter waves than optical telescopes for superior resolution.

Question 9

Infrared telescopes are very useful for observing

1) pulsars & black holes.

2) from locations on the ground.

3) hot stars and intergalactic gas.

4) neutron stars.

5) cool stars and star-forming regions.

Question 9

Infrared telescopes are very useful for observing

1) pulsars & black holes.

2) from locations on the ground.

3) hot stars and intergalactic gas.

4) neutron stars.

5) cool stars and star-forming regions.

Infrared images of star-forming “nurseries” can reveal objects still shrouded in cocoons of gas and dust.

Question 10

The Hubble Space Telescope (HST) offers sharper images than ground telescopes primarily because

1) HST is closer to planets & stars.

2) HST uses a larger primary mirror.

3) it gathers X-ray light.

4) HST orbits above the atmosphere.

5) it stays on the night-time side of Earth.

Question 10

The Hubble Space Telescope (HST) offers sharper images than ground telescopes primarily because

1) HST is closer to planets & stars.

2) HST uses a larger primary mirror.

3) it gathers X-ray light.

4) HST orbits above the atmosphere.

5) it stays on the night-time side of Earth.

HST orbits less than 400 miles above Earth – not much closer to stars & planets!

But it can gather UV, visible, & IR light, unaffected by Earth’s atmosphere.