-
-
Site pages
-
Current course
-
-
Participants
-
General
-
Topic 1
-
Topic 2
-
Topic 3
-
Topic 4
-
Topic 5
-
Topic 6
-
Topic 7
-
Topic 8
-
Topic 9
-
Topic 10
-
Topic 11
-
Topic 12
-
Topic 13
-
Topic 14
-
Topic 15
-
Topic 16
-
Topic 17
-
-
-
READ: Using Technology in Astronomy
Using Technology in Astronomy
Radio telescopes located in Australia. Photo courtesy of NASA. Photo is
in the public domain.
As you've been learning about scientific discoveries you should understand how technology has supported these discoveries. Early astronomers had only the most basic instruments, if any, for observations. The Renaissance astronomers had the benefit of telescopes to make their discoveries. In fact, some of these discoveries were the result of better telescope lenses. Modern era astronomers have used sophisticated telescopes with a range a thousand times greater than Renaissance telescopes.
Today, scientists use more than traditional telescopes to learn more about the universe, especially objects outside our solar system. This technology includes telescopes that use radio waves to detect what is on the other side of our galaxy, and advanced computer systems to make millions of calculations per second. There's even a telescope in space, called the Hubble telescope, after Edwin Hubble.
Future advancements in technology will mean even more discoveries. There are some challenges facing astronomy technology. Light pollution from nearby cities make observations difficult for observatories. Because we haven't been able to travel outside the solar system we can only observe objects from Earth. Despite these limitations, maybe someday scientists will be able to view the origin of the universe itself.
Last modified: Tuesday, 24 August 2010, 1:23 PM