Log out Go to App
Go to App

Learning Materials

Features

Discover

Chapter 8: Problem 9

Explain why infrared telescopes like those proposed for Darwin and Terrestrial Planet Finder need to be placed in space.

Short Answer

Expert verified
Answer: Infrared telescopes need to be placed in space to bypass Earth's atmosphere, which absorbs a significant amount of infrared radiation. This allows the telescopes to obtain clear and accurate images of infrared-emitting celestial objects. Additionally, the cold vacuum of space makes it easier to effectively cool the instruments to reduce thermal noise.

Step by step solution

01

Infrared Telescopes

Infrared telescopes are specialized telescopes that detect infrared radiation from celestial objects. Infrared radiation lies just beyond the red end of the visible spectrum and has wavelengths longer than visible light. Infrared telescopes, like the ones proposed for Darwin and Terrestrial Planet Finder, are particularly useful for observing objects such as distant galaxies, star-forming regions, and planets around other stars, as these objects emit a lot of infrared radiation.
02

Earth's Atmosphere

Earth's atmosphere absorbs a significant amount of infrared radiation coming from space. In particular, water vapor and other trace gases in the atmosphere absorb infrared wavelengths, making it difficult to obtain clear images with an infrared telescope on the ground. This is a disadvantage for ground-based infrared observatories as the presence of Earth's atmosphere reduces the telescope's ability to capture precise and accurate images.
03

Placing Infrared Telescopes in Space

By placing the infrared telescopes in space, they are positioned above Earth's atmosphere. This allows the telescopes to avoid the limitations imposed by atmospheric absorption and provides a clear view of the detected infrared radiation, enabling the telescopes to capture high-quality images of celestial objects.
04

Cooling the Instruments

Another advantage of placing infrared telescopes in space is the ability to cool the instruments effectively. Infrared telescopes need to be cooled to temperatures close to absolute zero to minimize thermal noise, which can affect the accuracy of observation. In the cold vacuum of space, it is easier to keep the instruments at the required low temperatures.
05

Conclusion

In summary, infrared telescopes like those proposed for Darwin and Terrestrial Planet Finder need to be placed in space to bypass Earth's atmosphere, which absorbs a significant amount of infrared radiation. Placing these telescopes in space allows them to obtain clear and accurate images of infrared-emitting celestial objects and effectively cool the instruments to reduce thermal noise.

Unlock Step-by-Step Solutions & Ace Your Exams!

  • Full Textbook Solutions

    Get detailed explanations and key concepts

  • Unlimited Al creation

    Al flashcards, explanations, exams and more...

  • Ads-free access

    To over 500 millions flashcards

  • Money-back guarantee

    We refund you if you fail your exam.

Start your free trial

Over 30 million students worldwide already upgrade their learning with Vaia!

One App. One Place for Learning.

All the tools & learning materials you need for study success - in one app.

Get started for free

Most popular questions from this chapter

What is meant by "life as we know it"? Why do astrobiologists suspect that extraterrestrial life is likely to be of this form?

Mercury, Venus, and the Moon are all considered unlikely places to find life. Suggest why this should be.

Why are most searches for extraterrestrial intelligence made using radio telescopes? Why are most of these carried out at frequencies between \(10^{3} \mathrm{MHz}\) and \(10^{4} \mathrm{MHz}^{2}\)

Suppose someone brought you a rock that he claimed was a Martian metcorite. What scientific tests would you recommend be done to test this claim?
See all solutions

Recommended explanations on Physics Textbooks

Atoms and Radioactivity

Read Explanation

Oscillations

Read Explanation

Engineering Physics

Read Explanation

Astrophysics

Read Explanation

Electric Charge Field and Potential

Read Explanation

Particle Model of Matter

Read Explanation
View all explanations

What do you think about this solution?

We value your feedback to improve our textbook solutions.

Study anywhere. Anytime. Across all devices.

Sign-up for free