Archived Problems
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The
Sombrero Galaxy Close-up [PDF] - Grade level: 9-11
The Sombrero Galaxy in Virgo is a
dazzling galaxy through the telescope, and has been
observed in detail by both the Hubble Space Telescope
and the Spitzer Infrared Observatory. This exercise
lets students explore the dimensions of this galaxy as
well as its finest details, using simple image scaling
calculations.
Exploring
Distant Galaxies [PDF] - Grade level: 9-11
Astronomers determine the redshifts of
distant galaxies by using spectra and measuring the
wavelength shifts for familiar atomic lines. The larger
the redshift, denoted by the letter Z, the more distant
the galaxy. In this activity, students will use an
actual image of a distant corner of the universe, with
the redshifts of galaxies identified. After
histogramming the redshift distribution, they will use
an on-line cosmology calculator to determine the
'look-back' times for the galaxies and find the one
that is the most ancient galaxy in the field. Can
students find a galaxy formed only 500 million years
after the Big Bang?
Measuring
the Speed of a Galaxy. [PDF] - Grade level: 9-11
Astronomers can measure the speed of a
galaxy by using the Doppler Shift. By studying the
spectrum of the light from a distant galaxy, the shift
in the wavelength of certain spectral lines from
elements such as hydrogen, can be decoded to give the
speed of the galaxy either towards the Milky Way or
away from it. In this activity, students will use the
formula for the Doppler Shift to analyze the spectrum
of the Seyfert galaxy Q2125-431 and determine its
speed.
A
Spiral Galaxy Up Close. [PDF] - Grade level: 9-11
Astronomers can learn a lot from
studying photographs of galaxies. In this activity,
students will compute the image scale (light years per
millimeter) in a photograph of a nearby spiral galaxy,
and explore the sizes of the features found in the
image. They will also use the internet or other
resources to fill-in the missing background information
about this galaxy.
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