Concept explainers
The HST cost about $1.7 billion for construction and $300 million for its shuttle launch, and it costs $250 million per year to operate. If the telescope lasts for 20 years, what is the total cost per year? Per day? If the telescope can be used just 30% of the time for actual observations, what is the cost per hour and per minute for the astronomer’s observing time on this instrument? What is the cost per person in the United States? Was your investment in the Hubble Space telescope worth it?
Trending nowThis is a popular solution!
Chapter 6 Solutions
Astronomy
Additional Science Textbook Solutions
Biology: Life on Earth (11th Edition)
Biology: Life on Earth with Physiology (11th Edition)
Organic Chemistry (8th Edition)
Campbell Biology: Concepts & Connections (9th Edition)
Introductory Chemistry (6th Edition)
Chemistry: An Introduction to General, Organic, and Biological Chemistry (13th Edition)
- The Mars Reconnaissance Orbiter (MRO) flies at an average altitude of 280km above the Martian Surface. If its cameras have an angular resolution of 0.2 arc seconds, what is the size of the smallest objects that the MRO can detect on the Martian surface? Use the equation: S =x × d / 206265 arcseconds / radian , where S is the true size of the object, d is the distance from the detector to the object, and x is the angular size of the object. Your answer will be in km (you can ignore the radians unit (it should appear, but the equation made a simplifying assumption that dropped it out.arrow_forwardThe photographic equipment on a telescope is replaced by a CCD. If the photographic plate records 5 percent of the light reaching it, but the CCD records 90 percent, how much time will the new system take to collect as much information as the old detector recorded in a 1-hour exposure?arrow_forwardThe James Webb Telescope is an important innovation in Astronomy and its implementation was first explained to the public during the timeline of our course this summer. Prepare an explanation which includes the following: What is the James Webb Telescope? Include a description of the tool itself and a brief history. What is the importance/significance of this tool for future astronomical studies?arrow_forward
- If a person is standing at the top of an observation tower that is 1200 feet above sea level, how far is it possible to see with a telescope on a clear day? Use 1,970 miles for the radius of the earth. (There are 5,280 feet in 1 mile.) Round your answer to the nearest mile. (A) 24 miles (B) 30 miles (C) 44 miles (D) 45 miles (E) 46 milesarrow_forwardThe Giant Magellan Telescope is a new telescope being built in Chile with a mirror 25 meters in diameter. Part 1: If you neglect the impact of Earth's atmosphere, what is the angular resolution limit (diffraction limit or resolving power) of this telescope in green light (500 nm)? Give your answer in arcseconds. Part 2: The current Magellan telescope has a mirror 6 meters in diameter. How much more light per second will the Giant Magellan capture compared to the current Magellan?arrow_forwardYou have been asked to compare four proposals for telescopes to be placed in orbit above the blurring effects of the earth’s atmosphere. Rank the proposed telescopes in order of their ability to resolve small details, from best to worst. (i) A radio telescope 100 m in diameter observing at a wavelength of 21 cm; (ii) an optical telescope 2.0 m in diameter observing at a wavelength of 500 nm; (iii) an ultraviolet telescope 1.0 m in diameter observing at a wavelength of 100 nm; (iv) an infrared telescope 2.0 m in diameter observing at a wavelength of 10 mm.arrow_forward
- You want to create a telescope with a resolving powe of 0.100 arc seconds at a wavelength of 550 nm. Wha diameter (in m) do you need? If you want to increase the light gathering power by a factor of 10, by what factor does the diameter need to increase? What would the new resolving power be (in arc seconds)?arrow_forwardWhat would be the equivalent single-mirror diameter of a telescope constructed from two separate 8-m mirrors?arrow_forwardConsider a telescope with a primary mirror diameter of 10 inches compared to one which has a primary mirror diameter of 15 inches. Assuming both are of excellent optical quality, the larger telescope has ---- O one and a half times the light gathering power but worse resolution O over twice the light gathering power and better resolution O one and a half times the light gathering power and better resolution O over twice the light gathering power but worse resolution O the same light gathering power but much better reesolution O the same light gathering power but much better resolutionarrow_forward
- Astronauts observing from a space station need a telescope with a resolving power of 0.9 arc seconds at a wavelength of 540 nm and a magnifying power of 260. Design a telescope to meet their needs. (State the necessary primary diameter of the telescope, in m, and the ratio of the focal lengths below. Also, what will its light-gathering power be, compared with a dark adapted human eye? (Assume that the pupil of your eye can open to a diameter of about 0.8 cm in dark conditions.)arrow_forwardWhen astronomers discuss the apertures of their telescopes, they say bigger is better. Explain why. a) A wider aperture can observe a significantly larger portion of the sky. b) A wider aperture makes a telescope easier to aim. c) A wider aperture allows a telescope to collect more light, so it can produce images with higher resolution. d) A wider aperture allows a telescope to collect more light, so it can detect fainter light sources.arrow_forwardspy satellite orbiting 410 km above Earth is supposedly capable of counting individual people in a crowd in visual-wavelength images. Assume that the satellite's cameras operate at a wavelength of 550 nm. Assume an average person has a size of 0.6 m as seen from above. Estimate the minimum telescope diameter that the satellite must carry. (Hint: Use The small-angle formula angular diameter (arc seconds) 2.06 105 = linear diameter distance to convert linear size to angular size.)arrow_forward
- AstronomyPhysicsISBN:9781938168284Author:Andrew Fraknoi; David Morrison; Sidney C. WolffPublisher:OpenStaxStars and Galaxies (MindTap Course List)PhysicsISBN:9781337399944Author:Michael A. SeedsPublisher:Cengage LearningFoundations of Astronomy (MindTap Course List)PhysicsISBN:9781337399920Author:Michael A. Seeds, Dana BackmanPublisher:Cengage Learning