Making Telescopes

...making telescopes...

free simulations, worksheets, videos, images, animations and more.

Objectives:

• Be able to describe...

• Be able to recall and explain....

• Be able to calculate...

Task 1 - Starter

Hands up!

I know the answer!

Find someone who knows:

1) The names of the planets in order.

2) Three differences between the terrestrial planets and the gas giants.

3) The force that holds objects in orbit.

4) One difference between the orbit of a planet and the orbit of a moon.

5) Two differences between the orbit of a comet and the orbit of a planet.

6) What is special about a geostationary orbit?

7) What height the International Space Station orbits, and how fast it is moving.

8) What is happening in each of these scenarios, and why:

Velocity=6km/s

Velocity=7.3km/s

Velocity=8km/s

Velocity=10km/s

By Lookang many thanks to author of original simulation = Todd Timberlake author of Easy Java Simulation = Francisco Esquembre - Own work, CC BY-SA 3.0, https://commons.wikimedia.org/w/index.php?curid=21961928

Your teacher will you which questions to discuss.

Task 2 - Newton's Mountain

Applet credit: this excellent Newton's Mountain applet was written by Michael Fowler, University of Virginia.

See more fantastic Fowler's Physics Applets here.

Click here to visit the Galileo and Einstein homepage.

This thought experiment is sometimes referred to as "Newton's Cannonball".

Try firing the cannonball...

Applet credit: Michael Fowler, University of Virginia.

Click the image below to load the applet from his site.

*Your teacher may explain some of Isaac Newton's ideas to you.

Your teacher may demonstrate a range of velocities to you.

Look at these animations, which show the paths that would be followed by objects launched at different speeds.

Task 3a - Orbits of planets, moons and comets

See more fantastic Flash, Java and HTML5 simulations FREE at http://phet.colorado.edu

Flash technology!

PC only - this applet does not run on tablets or mobile devices.

Use the orbital simulator to investigate the orbits of planets, moons and comets.

Applet credit: PhET. Load the simulation in full screen mode for best results.

Try the presets "Sun, planet", "Sun, planet, moon", and "sun, planet, comet".

Set the slider to "accurate" for higher precision calculations and better rendering of orbits.

Switch off traces and observe the orbit carefully, and then switch them on to find out more about the orbital dynamics!

Click the image below to open the simulation in full screen mode*.

Click to Run

*It's MUCH better in full screen mode.

You could also try setting up your own orbital systems!

Task 3b - Orbits of satellites

There are lots of satellites and other objects in a low earth orbit.

Click here for a full screen version. Zoom in for more detail, using the mouse wheel.

Other satellites are in geostationary orbits, with an orbital period of 24 hours.

Click here for a full screen version. Zoom in for more detail, using the mouse wheel.

Watch this video, which shows astronauts on the International Space Station, orbiting in a Low Earth Orbit.

Astronauts on the International Space Station.

Discuss with the person next to you:

1) How does orbiting affect the mass and weight of the astronauts?

2) Why do the astronauts appear to be weightless?

Task 3c - Researching orbits

See more fantastic Flash, Java and HTML5 simulations FREE at http://phet.colorado.edu

Flash technology!

PC only - this applet does not run on tablets or mobile devices.

Use the orbital simulator, laptops and text books to find out about the orbits of planets, moons, comets, asteroids, and satellites.

Record your findings in this table:

Click the image above to download the table as a word document.

Task 4 - Calculating orbital speeds

I know all eleventy-two types of energy.

Your teacher will show you how to calculate the orbital speed of an object, using the moon as an example.

Try to calculate the orbital speeds of the following objects:

1) The I.S.S. orbiting the Earth.

The International Space Station is in a roughly circular orbit 400km above the Earth's surface (6800km from the centre of the earth), and completes an orbit every 90 minutes.

2) A geostationary satellite.

Circular orbit 36000km from the centre of the Earth. Completes an orbit every 24 hours.

3) Mercury orbiting the sun.

Orbital data coming soon!

4) The Earth orbiting the sun.

Approximately circular orbit 150 million km from the sun. Completes an orbit every 365.25 days.

5) Jupiter orbiting the sun.

Orbital data coming soon! d=5.2AU, T=?

Printable worksheet coming soon.

Does this affect your answer to question two...?

Think about the velocity of the astronauts relative to the Earth, and relative to the Sun!

Objects in orbit are being pulled toward the earth by gravity, but the force is not sufficient to pull them back to the ground - so they keep "missing".

Task 4 - cloze?

NOTE: ADD VIDEOS OF BLUE SHEPHARD, AND SPACE X FALCON.

Homework

Find out about a historically significant space mission, a forthcoming space mission, or a recent space mission. Write a brief description of the mission, including:

1) a picture of the spacecraft and/or satellite.

2) The purpose of the mission.

3) The date of the mission*.

or projected date, if it has not yet launched!

4) Was it a manned or unmanned mission?

5) Where it travelled to.

6) The size and weight of the payload or satellite it carried.

Click the image below to download this homework task as a word document.