1 00:00:00,000 --> 00:00:22,440 Hi, I'm Roy Zazu-Bird of the Harlem Globetrotters. 2 00:00:22,440 --> 00:00:27,840 I bet you don't know that the art created when you shoot a basketball involves mathematics. 3 00:00:27,840 --> 00:00:38,000 Hey, when I line up to shoot, I think AX squared plus BX plus C equals D. Math works, I should 4 00:00:38,000 --> 00:00:39,000 know. 5 00:00:39,000 --> 00:00:41,920 I have a business degree which requires mathematics. 6 00:00:41,920 --> 00:00:46,000 On this episode of NASA Connect, you'll learn all about algebra. 7 00:00:46,000 --> 00:00:51,180 You'll discover how NASA engineers and astronomers use algebra every day in their work and see 8 00:00:51,180 --> 00:00:56,000 how telescopes like the Hubble Space Telescope and the next generation of space telescopes 9 00:00:56,160 --> 00:00:59,440 collect data on our expanding universe. 10 00:00:59,440 --> 00:01:06,440 So sit tight as Van and Jennifer explore algebra and telescopes on this episode of NASA Connect. 11 00:01:26,000 --> 00:01:42,100 Hi, welcome to another episode of NASA Connect, the show that connects you to the world of 12 00:01:42,100 --> 00:01:45,520 math, science, technology, and NASA. 13 00:01:45,520 --> 00:01:46,720 I'm Jennifer Foley. 14 00:01:46,720 --> 00:01:47,720 And I'm Van Heers. 15 00:01:47,720 --> 00:01:50,800 We're your hosts along with Norbert. 16 00:01:50,800 --> 00:01:54,800 He's going to be helping us take you through another awesome episode of NASA Connect. 17 00:01:54,800 --> 00:01:55,800 Right. 18 00:01:55,800 --> 00:02:00,480 Every time Norbert appears, have the cue cards from the lesson guide and your brain ready 19 00:02:00,480 --> 00:02:03,200 to look for answers to the questions he gives you. 20 00:02:03,200 --> 00:02:07,960 And teachers, every time Norbert appears with a remote, that's your cue to pause the video 21 00:02:07,960 --> 00:02:11,360 and let your students consider the problems we'll give them. 22 00:02:11,360 --> 00:02:15,760 Today we're in Baltimore, Maryland, and this is the Maryland Science Center. 23 00:02:15,760 --> 00:02:19,520 It's home to the Hubble Space Telescope's National Visitor Center, and it's a lot of 24 00:02:19,520 --> 00:02:20,520 fun. 25 00:02:20,520 --> 00:02:25,600 The center has three floors of hands-on experiments to get students like you interested in astronomy. 26 00:02:25,600 --> 00:02:29,600 Let's go on in and check it out. 27 00:02:29,600 --> 00:02:38,360 Excuse me, sir. 28 00:02:38,360 --> 00:02:45,160 Today's show is called Algebra, Mirror, Mirror on the Universe, and this mirror right here, 29 00:02:45,160 --> 00:02:50,240 it's the same size as the primary mirror on the Hubble Space Telescope. 30 00:02:50,240 --> 00:02:51,960 But more on the Hubble later. 31 00:02:51,960 --> 00:02:53,760 First, let's learn about algebra. 32 00:02:53,760 --> 00:02:54,760 Algebra? 33 00:02:54,760 --> 00:02:55,760 What's algebra? 34 00:02:55,760 --> 00:02:59,720 It sounds scary. 35 00:02:59,720 --> 00:03:00,720 It's really not. 36 00:03:00,720 --> 00:03:01,720 Let me show you. 37 00:03:01,720 --> 00:03:02,720 Can you read this graph? 38 00:03:02,720 --> 00:03:08,160 I bet you didn't know that when you're reading graphs, you're doing algebra. 39 00:03:08,160 --> 00:03:12,040 Algebra is used to describe a relationship between two or more things. 40 00:03:12,040 --> 00:03:18,120 For example, in this graph, we can say that the number of pizzas is related to the number 41 00:03:18,120 --> 00:03:19,780 of people served. 42 00:03:19,780 --> 00:03:22,660 The more pizzas you have, the more people you can serve. 43 00:03:22,660 --> 00:03:23,660 That's a relationship. 44 00:03:23,660 --> 00:03:27,660 In fact, this graph shows a linear relationship. 45 00:03:27,660 --> 00:03:33,180 A linear relationship means that the points on the graph appear to form a straight line. 46 00:03:33,180 --> 00:03:37,740 Of course, there are lots of relationships in math, but since these examples don't form 47 00:03:37,740 --> 00:03:40,260 a straight line, they aren't linear. 48 00:03:40,260 --> 00:03:41,260 Got it? 49 00:03:41,260 --> 00:03:45,940 So, looking at this graph, how many people would one pizza serve? 50 00:03:45,940 --> 00:03:50,900 Let's set up a table to show the relationship we see in the graph. 51 00:03:50,900 --> 00:03:57,500 Let's label our table like this, n equals the number of pizzas and p equals the number 52 00:03:57,500 --> 00:03:59,940 of people served. 53 00:03:59,940 --> 00:04:04,500 According to our graph, one pizza serves two people. 54 00:04:04,500 --> 00:04:07,500 That means there are two servings in one pizza. 55 00:04:07,500 --> 00:04:11,900 For our purposes, this number of servings, two, doesn't change. 56 00:04:11,900 --> 00:04:12,900 It's called a constant. 57 00:04:13,460 --> 00:04:18,060 How many people would be served if you have two pizzas? 58 00:04:18,060 --> 00:04:21,180 What about three pizzas? 59 00:04:21,180 --> 00:04:23,580 You should begin to see a pattern developing. 60 00:04:23,580 --> 00:04:28,980 Now, what if you were planning a sleepover and your mom got carried away and ordered 61 00:04:28,980 --> 00:04:31,820 215 pizzas? 62 00:04:31,820 --> 00:04:35,700 How many people would you have to invite to your slumber party? 63 00:04:35,700 --> 00:04:38,900 Remember the pattern we saw in the graph and table? 64 00:04:38,900 --> 00:04:43,580 Let's use the pattern we saw in the table to set up the relationship. 65 00:04:43,580 --> 00:04:49,060 In algebra, letters called variables help us solve algebraic equations. 66 00:04:49,060 --> 00:04:54,500 Remember how we used the letters n and p in the table to represent the number of pizzas 67 00:04:54,500 --> 00:04:57,180 and the number of people being served? 68 00:04:57,180 --> 00:05:00,380 Using those variables, we can set up an equation like this. 69 00:05:00,380 --> 00:05:07,700 n, which is the number of pizzas, times the number of servings in one pizza equals p, 70 00:05:07,740 --> 00:05:09,900 which is the number of people served. 71 00:05:09,900 --> 00:05:12,060 Okay, what do we know? 72 00:05:12,060 --> 00:05:18,580 Well, remembering that there are two servings in one pizza and that your mom ordered 215 73 00:05:18,580 --> 00:05:23,260 pizzas, we can substitute those numbers like this. 74 00:05:23,260 --> 00:05:26,860 215 times 2 equals p. 75 00:05:26,860 --> 00:05:33,740 According to our graph, you will have to invite 430 people over for your slumber party. 76 00:05:33,740 --> 00:05:36,820 Better tell your mom to cool it. 77 00:05:36,820 --> 00:05:39,420 So you see, guys, algebra isn't scary at all. 78 00:05:39,420 --> 00:05:44,180 In fact, algebra is used to solve problems much tougher than the one we just did. 79 00:05:44,180 --> 00:05:47,220 And remember, there are lots of ways to do problems algebraically. 80 00:05:47,220 --> 00:05:48,220 Absolutely. 81 00:05:48,220 --> 00:05:53,940 Now that we've gotten a taste of algebra, let's learn more about telescopes. 82 00:05:53,940 --> 00:05:57,580 1608 was a happening year. 83 00:05:57,580 --> 00:06:03,460 In that year, the Italian scientist Galileo became one of the first humans to view celestial 84 00:06:03,460 --> 00:06:06,580 objects with the newly invented telescope. 85 00:06:07,340 --> 00:06:13,140 Galileo improved on the design to see objects ten times more clearly than ever before possible. 86 00:06:13,140 --> 00:06:19,300 With his primitive telescope, Galileo saw many thousands of previously invisible stars 87 00:06:19,300 --> 00:06:21,780 that make up part of our galaxy. 88 00:06:21,780 --> 00:06:27,500 The ancient Greeks named our galaxy the Milky Way because most of its visible stars appear 89 00:06:27,500 --> 00:06:33,780 overhead on a clear, dark night as a milky band of light extending across the sky. 90 00:06:33,980 --> 00:06:34,980 Hmm. 91 00:06:34,980 --> 00:06:38,260 How many galaxies do you think are in the universe? 92 00:06:38,260 --> 00:06:40,260 Maybe a couple trillion? 93 00:06:40,260 --> 00:06:42,260 Well, I know there's at least one. 94 00:06:42,260 --> 00:06:44,260 340 billion. 95 00:06:44,260 --> 00:06:46,260 Those are all good guesses. 96 00:06:46,260 --> 00:06:50,660 To get the real answer, stay tuned because later on in the show, you'll have the opportunity 97 00:06:50,660 --> 00:06:55,460 to estimate the number of galaxies in the universe with our web activity. 98 00:06:55,460 --> 00:07:00,980 During the centuries following Galileo's discoveries, scientists created telescopes of increasing 99 00:07:00,980 --> 00:07:02,460 size and complexity. 100 00:07:03,140 --> 00:07:08,260 For more information on telescopes and something called optics, let's visit Marshall Space 101 00:07:08,260 --> 00:07:10,460 Flight Center in Huntsville, Alabama. 102 00:07:14,460 --> 00:07:15,460 What is optics? 103 00:07:15,460 --> 00:07:19,460 And how is algebra used in optics? 104 00:07:19,460 --> 00:07:24,780 Optics is the study of light, what it is, how it moves through space, and how it interacts 105 00:07:24,780 --> 00:07:26,260 with objects. 106 00:07:26,260 --> 00:07:31,500 Light can be controlled with lenses and mirrors, and these elements can be combined into optical 107 00:07:31,500 --> 00:07:36,780 instruments like telescopes, lasers, and cameras, just like the one being used to take 108 00:07:36,780 --> 00:07:37,780 this picture now. 109 00:07:37,780 --> 00:07:40,380 There are two types of telescopes. 110 00:07:40,380 --> 00:07:43,980 This is a refractor telescope that has a lens in the front. 111 00:07:43,980 --> 00:07:49,180 This is a reflector telescope that has no lens, but a mirror in the bottom of it. 112 00:07:49,180 --> 00:07:53,980 The light from the object goes through the tube, is concentrated by the mirror to form 113 00:07:53,980 --> 00:07:56,940 an image which I see with my eye. 114 00:07:56,940 --> 00:08:00,740 Reflector telescopes are better for looking at faint objects like distant stars and are 115 00:08:00,740 --> 00:08:03,140 therefore better for astronomy. 116 00:08:03,140 --> 00:08:08,020 I've taken this mirror out of the telescope to show you how the light is focused down 117 00:08:08,020 --> 00:08:10,940 to a spot at the focal point. 118 00:08:10,940 --> 00:08:15,940 This distance from the spot to the mirror is called the focal length, and there's an 119 00:08:15,940 --> 00:08:21,900 algebraic expression that relates the distance of the focal length, the distance u to an 120 00:08:21,900 --> 00:08:26,700 object, and the distance v to the image formed by the mirror. 121 00:08:26,700 --> 00:08:31,580 That expression is 1 over f is equal to 1 over v plus 1 over u. 122 00:08:31,580 --> 00:08:36,380 We use this equation to test telescopes here at the X-ray Calibration Facility. 123 00:08:36,380 --> 00:08:40,620 We want to have the object source as far away from the telescope as possible, so we put 124 00:08:40,620 --> 00:08:45,420 it at the end of this tunnel, which is a third of a mile or 500 meters away. 125 00:08:45,420 --> 00:08:49,460 Then with the telescope at the other end, we measure the image formed by the mirror 126 00:08:49,460 --> 00:08:54,060 very precisely to make sure that the telescope is built properly and will focus the stars 127 00:08:54,060 --> 00:08:55,060 correctly. 128 00:08:55,500 --> 00:08:58,260 And that's how we use algebra in optics. 129 00:08:58,260 --> 00:09:05,300 Ground-based telescopes have revealed much over their nearly 400-year history, but they're 130 00:09:05,300 --> 00:09:07,780 really limited in what they can show us. 131 00:09:07,780 --> 00:09:13,140 Things like light pollution, cloud cover, and the Earth's turbulent atmosphere interfere 132 00:09:13,140 --> 00:09:16,460 with ground-based telescope observations. 133 00:09:16,460 --> 00:09:21,660 So in 1990, NASA launched the Hubble Space Telescope, an automated reflecting telescope 134 00:09:21,660 --> 00:09:24,960 which orbits the Earth every 97 minutes. 135 00:09:24,960 --> 00:09:28,880 The Hubble Telescope was named after Edwin Hubble, who discovered that the universe is 136 00:09:28,880 --> 00:09:33,600 expanding and the more distant a galaxy, the faster it appears to move away. 137 00:09:33,600 --> 00:09:37,000 Remember the graph we analyzed at the beginning of the show? 138 00:09:37,000 --> 00:09:41,200 Well, Hubble created a graph that's not too different from our pizza graph. 139 00:09:41,200 --> 00:09:42,840 Check it out. 140 00:09:42,840 --> 00:09:48,160 Hubble's graph shows a linear relationship between distance and velocity. 141 00:09:48,160 --> 00:09:53,240 Remember the linear equation we used for the pizza graph, n times 2 equals p? 142 00:09:53,560 --> 00:09:59,040 Well, the linear equation for Hubble's graph is h times d equals v. 143 00:09:59,040 --> 00:10:00,280 h is the Hubble constant. 144 00:10:00,280 --> 00:10:04,120 It is similar to the number 2 in our previous equation. 145 00:10:04,120 --> 00:10:06,520 Remember there were two servings and one pizza? 146 00:10:06,520 --> 00:10:12,520 Anyway, d is the distance of the object and v is the velocity or speed of the object. 147 00:10:12,520 --> 00:10:16,800 Hey, how would you like to create a model of our universe using something as simple 148 00:10:16,800 --> 00:10:17,800 as a balloon? 149 00:10:17,800 --> 00:10:21,600 Hi, we're from Fort Washakie School in Fort Washakie, Wyoming. 150 00:10:22,600 --> 00:10:26,600 We live on the Wind River Indian Reservation in central Wyoming. 151 00:10:26,600 --> 00:10:31,600 We enjoy spending time in the Wind River Mountains, which tower behind our home. 152 00:10:31,600 --> 00:10:36,600 Our community consists of many Native American tribes, but most of us are members of the 153 00:10:36,600 --> 00:10:37,600 Shoshone tribe. 154 00:10:37,600 --> 00:10:42,600 We are proud of our heritage and we celebrate by participating in powwows and traditional 155 00:10:42,600 --> 00:10:43,600 ceremonies. 156 00:10:43,600 --> 00:10:48,600 We also take pride in our arts and crafts that we have learned from our elders. 157 00:10:49,600 --> 00:10:53,600 NASA Connect asks us to help you understand NISHO student activity. 158 00:10:53,600 --> 00:10:56,600 In this lesson, you'll learn about our expanding universe. 159 00:10:56,600 --> 00:11:01,600 You'll also learn how scientists use models to understand observations, and you'll get 160 00:11:01,600 --> 00:11:05,600 to plot and analyze data that you'll get from taking distance measurements between 161 00:11:05,600 --> 00:11:07,600 objects in your own universe. 162 00:11:07,600 --> 00:11:12,600 You see, we'll use an analogy to try to explain a very complex concept. 163 00:11:12,600 --> 00:11:14,600 What's an analogy? 164 00:11:14,600 --> 00:11:15,600 It's simple, really. 165 00:11:15,600 --> 00:11:16,600 It's a comparison. 166 00:11:16,600 --> 00:11:20,600 For example, sometimes I say my big brother is like a vacuum cleaner when he eats. 167 00:11:20,600 --> 00:11:25,600 I use the vacuum cleaner as an analogy to try to explain his eating habit. 168 00:11:26,600 --> 00:11:31,600 You're going to use an analogy for the universe to help you understand the idea that it is 169 00:11:31,600 --> 00:11:32,600 expanding. 170 00:11:33,600 --> 00:11:37,600 When I look out into space, I really don't see anything expanding. 171 00:11:37,600 --> 00:11:38,600 It's too big. 172 00:11:39,600 --> 00:11:43,600 So we'll use something like the universe to help us understand one of its characteristics 173 00:11:43,600 --> 00:11:45,600 that we cannot easily see. 174 00:11:45,600 --> 00:11:50,600 A good analogy for the universe expanding would be a loaf of raisin bread baking in 175 00:11:50,600 --> 00:11:51,600 the oven. 176 00:11:52,600 --> 00:11:55,600 As the loaf expands, the raisins move away from each other. 177 00:11:55,600 --> 00:11:59,600 The raisins represent galaxies, and the bread represents space. 178 00:11:59,600 --> 00:12:02,600 This is kind of like what happens in the universe. 179 00:12:02,600 --> 00:12:06,600 Another analogy for the expansion of the universe is a balloon. 180 00:12:07,600 --> 00:12:12,600 Things that exist on the surface of a balloon, for example, these marks, move further apart 181 00:12:12,600 --> 00:12:13,600 as the balloon is blown up. 182 00:12:14,600 --> 00:12:18,600 In just a minute, we're going to measure the distance between points on a balloon when 183 00:12:18,600 --> 00:12:22,600 it is about the size of a grapefruit, then again when it is blown up to about the size 184 00:12:22,600 --> 00:12:23,600 of your head. 185 00:12:24,600 --> 00:12:28,600 Before we do that, here's something you must understand about an analogy. 186 00:12:29,600 --> 00:12:32,600 It's only like what it is compared to in a certain way. 187 00:12:32,600 --> 00:12:35,600 The balloon is not the universe, in other words. 188 00:12:36,600 --> 00:12:40,600 In fact, the surface of a balloon is only two-dimensional, not three-dimensional like 189 00:12:40,600 --> 00:12:41,600 the universe. 190 00:12:41,600 --> 00:12:45,600 It would be very hard to measure something inside the balloon because, well, we can't 191 00:12:45,600 --> 00:12:46,600 get inside of it. 192 00:12:47,600 --> 00:12:51,600 Because we can measure the distance between points on the surface of a balloon, that's 193 00:12:51,600 --> 00:12:55,600 what we'll do to verify what Hubble discovered about the universe. 194 00:12:55,600 --> 00:13:00,600 He found out the further away a space object is from us, the faster it is moving away from 195 00:13:00,600 --> 00:13:01,600 us. 196 00:13:01,600 --> 00:13:06,600 Now that you understand about the universe expanding and how we use models and analogies 197 00:13:06,600 --> 00:13:09,600 to describe it, you're ready to do the lesson. 198 00:13:10,600 --> 00:13:14,600 Separate into groups, then expand your balloon to about the size of a grapefruit. 199 00:13:14,600 --> 00:13:18,600 Roll the neck of the balloon making three turns toward the expanded portion. 200 00:13:18,600 --> 00:13:21,600 Secure it with a binder clip to keep air from escaping. 201 00:13:22,600 --> 00:13:24,600 Mark a point near the balloon's equator. 202 00:13:24,600 --> 00:13:26,600 Label the first point as home. 203 00:13:26,600 --> 00:13:31,600 Starting from home, measure 10 millimeter intervals along the balloon's equator and 204 00:13:31,600 --> 00:13:33,600 mark five points. 205 00:13:33,600 --> 00:13:36,600 Label each point starting with the number one. 206 00:13:36,600 --> 00:13:39,600 Measure again the distance to point number one from home. 207 00:13:39,600 --> 00:13:41,600 Be sure no air has escaped. 208 00:13:41,600 --> 00:13:44,600 Record the distance from home to each point. 209 00:13:44,600 --> 00:13:48,600 Be careful not to compress or dent the balloon while making the marks. 210 00:13:49,600 --> 00:13:51,600 Expand the balloon to about the size of your head. 211 00:13:51,600 --> 00:13:56,600 Measure the new distance from home to each point and record the results. 212 00:13:56,600 --> 00:14:00,600 Be careful not to compress or dent the balloon while making the measurements. 213 00:14:01,600 --> 00:14:06,600 Calculate the distance each point moved by subtracting its first recorded distance from 214 00:14:06,600 --> 00:14:09,600 home from the second recorded distance. 215 00:14:09,600 --> 00:14:12,600 Have someone check the calculations. 216 00:14:12,600 --> 00:14:14,600 Record the results on the data sheet. 217 00:14:15,600 --> 00:14:21,600 Now divide the distance each point traveled by the time it took or when epoch to get the 218 00:14:21,600 --> 00:14:23,600 expansion rate. 219 00:14:23,600 --> 00:14:25,600 This is the rate of expansion of your balloon. 220 00:14:25,600 --> 00:14:29,600 Record the results for each point on the data sheet. 221 00:14:29,600 --> 00:14:32,600 Now you're ready to plot your data. 222 00:14:32,600 --> 00:14:36,600 Using the data from the universe data sheet, plot the points. 223 00:14:36,600 --> 00:14:38,600 Distance traveled, expansion rate. 224 00:14:38,600 --> 00:14:43,600 Team members should verify that the points are plotted correctly on the graph. 225 00:14:46,600 --> 00:14:49,600 So, what conclusions can you make from this lesson? 226 00:14:49,600 --> 00:14:53,600 The 4-1-r graph looks just like the Hubble data graph. 227 00:14:53,600 --> 00:14:56,600 We created a pretty good model for the expansion of space. 228 00:14:57,600 --> 00:15:00,600 Our data showed a linear pattern like the Hubble data. 229 00:15:00,600 --> 00:15:02,600 That's great! 230 00:15:02,600 --> 00:15:04,600 Any other thoughts about this lesson? 231 00:15:04,600 --> 00:15:07,600 We learned how to use a metric system. 232 00:15:07,600 --> 00:15:09,600 Science is fun. 233 00:15:09,600 --> 00:15:11,600 How the universe expands. 234 00:15:11,600 --> 00:15:12,600 Way to go, guys! 235 00:15:12,600 --> 00:15:14,600 You did a great job. 236 00:15:14,600 --> 00:15:18,600 Hey, teachers, check out our NASA Connect website and download the lesson guide from 237 00:15:18,600 --> 00:15:19,600 this program. 238 00:15:19,600 --> 00:15:24,600 In it, you'll find this student activity, data analysis questions, extension activities, 239 00:15:24,600 --> 00:15:26,600 and tons more. 240 00:15:29,600 --> 00:15:33,600 How do engineers take care of the Hubble Space Telescope while it's in space? 241 00:15:33,600 --> 00:15:35,600 Hey, guys, meet Patty Hanson. 242 00:15:35,600 --> 00:15:38,600 She works on the Hubble Space Telescope project. 243 00:15:38,600 --> 00:15:42,600 Today, we're at NASA Goddard Space Flight Center in Greenbelt, Maryland. 244 00:15:42,600 --> 00:15:46,600 Okay, Patty, so far we've learned about algebra, optics, telescopes, 245 00:15:46,600 --> 00:15:49,600 and a little about the Hubble Space Telescope. 246 00:15:49,600 --> 00:15:53,600 Now, what is NASA Goddard doing to protect the Hubble while it's orbiting around the Earth? 247 00:15:54,600 --> 00:15:57,600 Yeah, and how do engineers like you use algebra in your jobs? 248 00:15:57,600 --> 00:15:59,600 Whoa, those are a lot of questions. 249 00:15:59,600 --> 00:16:03,600 Here at Goddard, we're actually the servicing part of the Hubble Space Telescope project. 250 00:16:03,600 --> 00:16:08,600 We actually prepare scientific instruments, computers, tape recorders, 251 00:16:08,600 --> 00:16:15,600 to go up on the shuttle, rendezvous with Hubble, and perform servicing of the telescope. 252 00:16:15,600 --> 00:16:20,600 Astronauts go out into the payload bay, get the new equipment out of carriers, 253 00:16:20,600 --> 00:16:24,600 and install it on the telescope, and we bring the old hardware home. 254 00:16:24,600 --> 00:16:29,600 Now, when we're getting ready for a servicing mission, we have our instruments in our clean room. 255 00:16:29,600 --> 00:16:33,600 And in the clean room, we want to make sure we control contamination 256 00:16:33,600 --> 00:16:36,600 by having everyone get dressed in what we call bunny suits. 257 00:16:36,600 --> 00:16:40,600 And you'll see that everybody in the clean room is dressed head to toe in white. 258 00:16:40,600 --> 00:16:44,600 And what this does is it controls all the contamination from your clothing, 259 00:16:44,600 --> 00:16:46,600 which is lint, your hair. 260 00:16:46,600 --> 00:16:49,600 We don't want any dropped hairs on our science instruments. 261 00:16:49,600 --> 00:16:51,600 And our skin flakes. 262 00:16:51,600 --> 00:16:55,600 Here on Hubble, we're really worried about both particulate and molecular contamination 263 00:16:55,600 --> 00:16:58,600 accumulating on the primary and secondary mirrors. 264 00:16:58,600 --> 00:17:03,600 Particulate contamination is like a fine layer of dust that scatters the light 265 00:17:03,600 --> 00:17:08,600 and doesn't allow it to transmit through the optic and gather into the detector very well. 266 00:17:08,600 --> 00:17:14,600 Molecular contamination is a thin film similar to the condensation that you see on this mirror 267 00:17:14,600 --> 00:17:17,600 when I squirt it with the nitrogen cleaner. 268 00:17:17,600 --> 00:17:21,600 This doesn't allow the light to be transmitted very well through the optic. 269 00:17:21,600 --> 00:17:25,600 Okay, Van, to get back to your question about how I use algebra in my job, 270 00:17:25,600 --> 00:17:28,600 is that I have an end-of-life requirement for the amount of contamination 271 00:17:28,600 --> 00:17:30,600 I can accumulate on flight optics. 272 00:17:30,600 --> 00:17:33,600 Now, for Hubble, that's the primary and secondary mirrors. 273 00:17:33,600 --> 00:17:37,600 End-of-life is the amount of contamination that we can accumulate 274 00:17:37,600 --> 00:17:41,600 from the time it was launched until the time that we no longer expect to take science. 275 00:17:41,600 --> 00:17:43,600 And for Hubble, that's 20 years. 276 00:17:43,600 --> 00:17:48,600 So you're saying that in 20 years, you will accumulate some type of contamination on Hubble's mirrors. 277 00:17:48,600 --> 00:17:50,600 That is correct. 278 00:17:50,600 --> 00:17:52,600 And what we do is we take periodic measurements 279 00:17:52,600 --> 00:17:55,600 and we compare that to our end-of-life requirement. 280 00:17:55,600 --> 00:17:58,600 Okay, let's look at the algebra Patty is talking about. 281 00:17:58,600 --> 00:18:04,600 NASA engineers know the total amount of contamination on the Hubble has to be less than 5% 282 00:18:04,600 --> 00:18:06,600 or the telescope won't work the way it should. 283 00:18:06,600 --> 00:18:10,600 Before Hubble was launched, three measurements for contamination were taken. 284 00:18:10,600 --> 00:18:12,600 The first was 8 tenths of a percent. 285 00:18:12,600 --> 00:18:14,600 The second was six tenths of a percent. 286 00:18:14,600 --> 00:18:16,600 And the third was one tenth of a percent. 287 00:18:16,600 --> 00:18:20,600 The total amount of contamination on the Hubble consists of 288 00:18:20,600 --> 00:18:22,600 the amount of contamination measured on Earth 289 00:18:22,600 --> 00:18:26,600 plus the amount of contamination that it collects on orbit. 290 00:18:26,600 --> 00:18:30,600 If we substitute the values we know into the inequality, 291 00:18:30,600 --> 00:18:34,600 we find that the amount of contamination the Hubble can collect on orbit 292 00:18:34,600 --> 00:18:37,600 has to be less than 3.5%. 293 00:18:37,600 --> 00:18:40,600 Using algebra, you can see that we have plenty of on-orbit margin left 294 00:18:40,600 --> 00:18:44,600 to accumulate contamination on both the primary and secondary optics. 295 00:18:44,600 --> 00:18:47,600 Hey check it, did you know that the Hubble Space Telescope 296 00:18:47,600 --> 00:18:50,600 is about the same size as this school bus? 297 00:18:50,600 --> 00:18:54,600 This is where all of the data from the Hubble Space Telescope 298 00:18:54,600 --> 00:18:56,600 is continuously being collected. 299 00:18:56,600 --> 00:19:01,600 Back in 1995, NASA Goddard collected images from the Hubble Deep Field. 300 00:19:01,600 --> 00:19:04,600 A few thousand never-before-seen galaxies are visible 301 00:19:04,600 --> 00:19:07,600 in this deepest-ever view of the universe. 302 00:19:07,600 --> 00:19:11,600 Hey, how would you like to use the web and real images 303 00:19:11,600 --> 00:19:13,600 from the Hubble Space Telescope 304 00:19:13,600 --> 00:19:16,600 to estimate the number of galaxies in the universe? 305 00:19:16,600 --> 00:19:20,600 And then compare your findings with those made by real astronomers. 306 00:19:20,600 --> 00:19:22,600 Dr. Shelley Canright has the scoop. 307 00:19:24,600 --> 00:19:27,600 I'm here at the Science Museum of Virginia in Richmond, 308 00:19:27,600 --> 00:19:31,600 home of the Ethel Corporation IMAX Dome and Planetarium. 309 00:19:31,600 --> 00:19:34,600 This is a wonderful place to visit. 310 00:19:34,600 --> 00:19:37,600 It has over 250 hands-on interactive exhibits 311 00:19:37,600 --> 00:19:41,600 where visitors will find that learning science is a whole lot of fun. 312 00:19:41,600 --> 00:19:44,600 But you know what? If we go inside the museum, 313 00:19:44,600 --> 00:19:47,600 we're going to find a computer lab where some students are waiting for us, 314 00:19:47,600 --> 00:19:51,600 where they're going to share with us the featured online activity for NASA Connect. 315 00:19:51,600 --> 00:19:53,600 Come on, let's go inside. 316 00:19:55,600 --> 00:19:59,600 As we have learned how these students use the Internet to explore new knowledge, 317 00:19:59,600 --> 00:20:01,600 with the Hubble Space Telescope, 318 00:20:01,600 --> 00:20:05,600 scientists can now begin exploring the outer reaches of the universe. 319 00:20:05,600 --> 00:20:09,600 In December 1995, a dark section of the sky near the Big Dipper 320 00:20:09,600 --> 00:20:14,600 was selected for a prolonged observation using cameras located on the telescope. 321 00:20:14,600 --> 00:20:16,600 For 100 hours over a 10-day period, 322 00:20:16,600 --> 00:20:19,600 the telescope was pointed at this part of the sky. 323 00:20:19,600 --> 00:20:22,600 We called this the Hubble Deep Field. 324 00:20:22,600 --> 00:20:25,600 What the Hubble saw were thousands of stars and galaxies 325 00:20:25,600 --> 00:20:27,600 beyond what we could see with our own eyes. 326 00:20:27,600 --> 00:20:32,600 In other words, it confirmed the idea that the universe is a really, really big place. 327 00:20:32,600 --> 00:20:36,600 In this show, we are featuring the Hubble Deep Field Academy, 328 00:20:36,600 --> 00:20:39,600 produced by the Space Telescope Science Institute. 329 00:20:39,600 --> 00:20:42,600 The Academy consists of five sections. 330 00:20:42,600 --> 00:20:46,600 The first one gets you oriented to the website and to your mission, 331 00:20:46,600 --> 00:20:49,600 to explore the galaxies of the Hubble Deep Field 332 00:20:49,600 --> 00:20:52,600 and fulfill one of humankind's long-time goals 333 00:20:52,600 --> 00:20:55,600 of seeing as far as possible into the universe 334 00:20:55,600 --> 00:20:58,600 in an attempt to understand our origins. 335 00:20:58,600 --> 00:21:02,600 The first activity, called Stellar Statistician, 336 00:21:02,600 --> 00:21:08,600 introduces you to an estimating technique scientists use called representative sampling. 337 00:21:08,600 --> 00:21:13,600 By counting the number of space objects in a small section of the deep field photograph, 338 00:21:13,600 --> 00:21:17,600 then multiplying that by the number of total sections, 339 00:21:17,600 --> 00:21:21,600 you'll get an estimate of the number of objects in the whole deep field. 340 00:21:22,600 --> 00:21:27,600 Activity 2 lets you classify selected objects based on their color and shape. 341 00:21:27,600 --> 00:21:32,600 You'll choose a camera, then try to classify the 15 numbered objects in the picture. 342 00:21:32,600 --> 00:21:37,600 Then you will see how your choices compare with those made by astronomers. 343 00:21:37,600 --> 00:21:44,600 Activity 3 presents you with the problem of determining the distances between Earth and objects in space. 344 00:21:44,600 --> 00:21:51,600 You'll look at six objects and determine by observation what their relative distances are from the Earth. 345 00:21:51,600 --> 00:21:56,600 Then you'll get to compare your answers with those of the astronomers. 346 00:21:56,600 --> 00:21:59,600 The last activity is a review of what you learned. 347 00:21:59,600 --> 00:22:04,600 You'll answer questions like, what is the difference between a galaxy and a star? 348 00:22:04,600 --> 00:22:09,600 Why isn't a galaxy's size alone useful in determining its distance from Earth? 349 00:22:09,600 --> 00:22:12,600 We've just scratched the surface of this website. 350 00:22:12,600 --> 00:22:16,600 Along the way, you'll get to view animations and see diagrams 351 00:22:16,600 --> 00:22:20,600 that further explain facts and concepts related to the Hubble Deep Field. 352 00:22:20,600 --> 00:22:26,600 I'm sure you'll find it to be a fascinating extension to what you've already learned in today's program. 353 00:22:26,600 --> 00:22:32,600 And speaking of extensions, let me introduce you to another exciting website, space.com. 354 00:22:32,600 --> 00:22:37,600 It's devoted to space news with a special portal to spacekids.com. 355 00:22:37,600 --> 00:22:40,600 There you will find an interactive photo gallery of Hubble images. 356 00:22:40,600 --> 00:22:46,600 You can compare galaxies, contrast different kinds of images of the same exploding star, 357 00:22:46,600 --> 00:22:48,600 find out about the astronomer Edwin Hubble, 358 00:22:48,600 --> 00:22:53,600 and follow the drama of scientists and astronauts who fixed the telescope when it broke. 359 00:22:53,600 --> 00:23:00,600 Both the Hubble Academy and spacekids.com can be accessed through Norfolk's lab on the NASA Connect website. 360 00:23:00,600 --> 00:23:03,600 Oh, and special thanks to the Science Museum of Virginia 361 00:23:03,600 --> 00:23:08,600 and our AIAA student mentor from Old Dominion University in Norfolk, Virginia. 362 00:23:08,600 --> 00:23:11,600 So, you see, the data from the Hubble is being used now, 363 00:23:11,600 --> 00:23:17,600 but there is a need for even bigger telescopes that can see even deeper into space and collect more information. 364 00:23:19,600 --> 00:23:24,600 Compare and contrast the Hubble Space Telescope and the Next Generation Space Telescope. 365 00:23:25,600 --> 00:23:30,600 Hey guys, Van and I are with Dr. Eric Smith. He's an astronomer at NASA Goddard. 366 00:23:30,600 --> 00:23:34,600 So, Dr. Smith, what is a Next Generation Space Telescope? 367 00:23:34,600 --> 00:23:41,600 Well, the NGST, or Next Generation Space Telescope, is the logical successor to the Hubble Space Telescope, or HST. 368 00:23:41,600 --> 00:23:46,600 NGST is designed to see the first stars and galaxies that light up in the universe. 369 00:23:46,600 --> 00:23:50,600 To do this, we need to work in the infrared part of the spectrum. 370 00:23:50,600 --> 00:23:52,600 So that's one very important difference. 371 00:23:52,600 --> 00:23:55,600 Another important difference is just how the telescope looks. 372 00:23:55,600 --> 00:23:58,600 HST looks like a very familiar telescope to most people. 373 00:23:58,600 --> 00:24:00,600 It's a tube, it's got a mirror at one end of it. 374 00:24:01,600 --> 00:24:08,600 NGST, because it is so large, four times the size of HST, is going to have to be cut up and folded in a rocket, 375 00:24:08,600 --> 00:24:12,600 and then it will be launched into space, and it will sort of bloom like a flower, 376 00:24:12,600 --> 00:24:17,600 and then it will have a sunshade to block light from the sun and protect its optics. 377 00:24:17,600 --> 00:24:19,600 That sunshade is about the size of a tennis court. 378 00:24:19,600 --> 00:24:20,600 It's huge! 379 00:24:20,600 --> 00:24:21,600 It is. 380 00:24:21,600 --> 00:24:27,600 Yeah. Now, one of the other important differences between HST and NGST is where it will be. 381 00:24:27,600 --> 00:24:30,600 HST is about 200 miles above our heads orbiting the Earth. 382 00:24:30,600 --> 00:24:36,600 NGST will be about 1.5 million kilometers from the Earth, farther than the moon. 383 00:24:36,600 --> 00:24:40,600 It's being put there so that it can be in a very cold environment, 384 00:24:40,600 --> 00:24:43,600 which, again, is good for telescopes that have to work in the infrared. 385 00:24:43,600 --> 00:24:47,600 It also means that no one will service the NGST. 386 00:24:47,600 --> 00:24:52,600 How do astronomers, like you, use algebra when you're designing or dealing with the NGST? 387 00:24:53,600 --> 00:24:57,600 Well, algebra is used at all stages in the design and construction of a telescope. 388 00:24:57,600 --> 00:25:03,600 Astronomers used algebra at the very beginning when they decided how they wanted to optimize it. 389 00:25:03,600 --> 00:25:05,600 I mentioned you wanted to optimize for the infrared. 390 00:25:05,600 --> 00:25:10,600 Well, you can use algebra to tell exactly where you want to optimize this telescope to work, 391 00:25:10,600 --> 00:25:15,600 and you do that by studying galaxies and knowing where they emit their radiation. 392 00:25:15,600 --> 00:25:20,600 Now, you said that the NGST has a sunshield that's the size of a tennis court? 393 00:25:20,600 --> 00:25:27,600 Right, and the reason it has a sunshield is to protect the telescope optics from getting sunlight on them. 394 00:25:27,600 --> 00:25:31,600 Wow. Okay, now, so are you guys working here at NASA Goddard on the sunshield? 395 00:25:31,600 --> 00:25:34,600 A little bit, but a lot of work on the materials are being done at NASA Langley. 396 00:25:34,600 --> 00:25:36,600 Hey, that's where we're from. 397 00:25:36,600 --> 00:25:40,600 Why don't we head down to Hampton, Virginia and meet John Connell and find out more about the sunshield? 398 00:25:41,600 --> 00:25:43,600 Here at the NASA Langley Research Center, 399 00:25:43,600 --> 00:25:47,600 we're working on a number of technologies that are relevant to the Next Generation Space Telescope. 400 00:25:47,600 --> 00:25:51,600 The sunshield is comprised primarily of polymeric films. 401 00:25:51,600 --> 00:25:56,600 Polymer is a term that means many repeat units of the same structure. 402 00:25:56,600 --> 00:26:01,600 Common examples of polymers that you would encounter in everyday life would include things such as saran wrap, 403 00:26:01,600 --> 00:26:07,600 food packaging material, milk jugs, compact discs, things of this nature. 404 00:26:07,600 --> 00:26:13,600 The materials we are developing are primarily for the outermost shield of the Next Generation Space Telescope. 405 00:26:14,600 --> 00:26:19,600 As you recall, this shield is designed to keep the optics as cold as possible, 406 00:26:19,600 --> 00:26:21,600 so the shield has to be very reflective. 407 00:26:21,600 --> 00:26:27,600 The outermost layer in particular has to be very reflective and be resistant to the radiation environment. 408 00:26:27,600 --> 00:26:30,600 As you can see, the material looks much like the mylar balloon 409 00:26:30,600 --> 00:26:33,600 that you might encounter at a birthday party or other type of event. 410 00:26:33,600 --> 00:26:37,600 The chemistry of them is such that they are much different 411 00:26:37,600 --> 00:26:40,600 and they will be resistant to the radiation present in space. 412 00:26:40,600 --> 00:26:43,600 Polymer chemists use algebra in their everyday working activities 413 00:26:43,600 --> 00:26:47,600 in the calculation of the recipes necessary to make these advanced polymers. 414 00:26:48,600 --> 00:26:52,600 Well, that about wraps up this episode of NASA Connect. 415 00:26:52,600 --> 00:26:53,600 It was a blast, wasn't it, Van? 416 00:26:53,600 --> 00:26:54,600 Oh yeah, it sure was. 417 00:26:54,600 --> 00:26:58,600 Jennifer and I would like to thank everyone who helped contribute to this episode. 418 00:26:58,600 --> 00:27:00,600 We sure would, and you know, Van and I would love to hear from you 419 00:27:00,600 --> 00:27:03,600 with your comments, your questions, your suggestions or ideas. 420 00:27:03,600 --> 00:27:08,600 So just write us at NASA Connect, NASA Langley Research Center, Mail Stop 400, 421 00:27:08,600 --> 00:27:10,600 Hampton, Virginia, 23681. 422 00:27:10,600 --> 00:27:17,600 Or you know, you can find us on the web at connect at edu.larc.nasa.gov. 423 00:27:17,600 --> 00:27:22,600 Hey teachers, if you would like a videotape copy of this NASA Connect show and the teacher's guide, 424 00:27:22,600 --> 00:27:27,600 contact CORE, the NASA Central Operation of Resources for Educators, 425 00:27:27,600 --> 00:27:32,600 or check out this website to locate your local NASA Educator Resource Center. 426 00:27:32,600 --> 00:27:37,600 All this information and more is located on the NASA Connect website. 427 00:27:37,600 --> 00:27:39,600 For the NASA Connect series, I'm Jennifer Pulley. 428 00:27:39,600 --> 00:27:40,600 And I'm Van Hughes. 429 00:27:40,600 --> 00:27:42,600 See you next time. Bye. 430 00:27:42,600 --> 00:27:43,600 Bye-bye. 431 00:27:43,600 --> 00:27:44,600 Have fun. 432 00:27:44,600 --> 00:27:47,600 I have the amount of contamination that I can accumulate. 433 00:27:47,600 --> 00:27:50,600 Don't start laughing, you're going to make me laugh. 434 00:27:51,600 --> 00:27:54,600 We're heading out to La Labrie. 435 00:27:54,600 --> 00:27:55,600 Easy. 436 00:27:55,600 --> 00:27:56,600 Easy, it's easy. 437 00:27:57,600 --> 00:28:00,600 The invention of the telescope came about by accident. 438 00:28:00,600 --> 00:28:04,600 A Dutch spectacle maker had an apprentice who was playing with lenses one day 439 00:28:04,600 --> 00:28:09,600 and found that if he held two lenses in front of his eyes, he saw things considerably closer than they were. 440 00:28:09,600 --> 00:28:11,600 Yah! 441 00:28:11,600 --> 00:28:14,600 Immediately, the spectacle maker grasped the importance of the discovery. 442 00:28:14,600 --> 00:28:20,600 And in 1608, Hans Lippershey mounted the lenses in a tube and invented the telescope. 443 00:28:20,600 --> 00:28:23,600 Did you know that telescopes were first called Dutch trunks?