How did the first stars form? What drives galaxy evolution? What is the structure
of the universe, and why did it form this way?
These are just a few of the questions astronomers at The Ohio State University
hope to answer using the Multi-Object Double Spectrograph (MODS), currently
being built by the Imaging Sciences Laboratory (ISL) team. MODS is one of Ohio
State’s largest contributions to the Large Binocular Telescope (LBT) project and the
most complex instrument every built by the Ohio State team.
“We had to build this instrument; you must have this capability on a large
telescope,” said Darren DePoy, professor of astronomy and MODS project manager.
“It is a crucial and vitally important instrument to the science research programs
that we will conduct using the LBT.”
Thanks to a $1 million, 3-year grant from the National Science Foundation, the
ISL team will have the necessary resources to build the instrument, which is
expected to be fully operational by early 2006.
Optical spectrographs, such as MODS, break light into its component wavelengths, in
the same way a prism splits white light into a rainbow of colors. By analyzing light
received at different wavelengths, including ultraviolet and infrared light invisible
to the human eye, astronomers can determine the distance, physical conditions,
and chemical makeup of distant objects, including stars, galaxies, and quasars.
“MODS is going to be the Ferrari of optical spectrographs,” said Richard Pogge,
professor of astronomy and instrumentation scientist. “The challenge is going
to be how to make it easy for the typical astronomer to use. It has 33 separate
mechanisms to put it into its various configurations, including imaging, long-slit
spectra, multi-slit spectra, calibration modes, etc.”
With MODS and the light-collecting area of the LBT, Ohio State astronomers
hope to read cosmic history in the properties of
the faintest, most distant galaxies yet observed.
of the universe, and why did it form this way?
These are just a few of the questions astronomers at The Ohio State University
hope to answer using the Multi-Object Double Spectrograph (MODS), currently
being built by the Imaging Sciences Laboratory (ISL) team. MODS is one of Ohio
State’s largest contributions to the Large Binocular Telescope (LBT) project and the
most complex instrument every built by the Ohio State team.
“We had to build this instrument; you must have this capability on a large
telescope,” said Darren DePoy, professor of astronomy and MODS project manager.
“It is a crucial and vitally important instrument to the science research programs
that we will conduct using the LBT.”
Thanks to a $1 million, 3-year grant from the National Science Foundation, the
ISL team will have the necessary resources to build the instrument, which is
expected to be fully operational by early 2006.
Optical spectrographs, such as MODS, break light into its component wavelengths, in
the same way a prism splits white light into a rainbow of colors. By analyzing light
received at different wavelengths, including ultraviolet and infrared light invisible
to the human eye, astronomers can determine the distance, physical conditions,
and chemical makeup of distant objects, including stars, galaxies, and quasars.
“MODS is going to be the Ferrari of optical spectrographs,” said Richard Pogge,
professor of astronomy and instrumentation scientist. “The challenge is going
to be how to make it easy for the typical astronomer to use. It has 33 separate
mechanisms to put it into its various configurations, including imaging, long-slit
spectra, multi-slit spectra, calibration modes, etc.”
With MODS and the light-collecting area of the LBT, Ohio State astronomers
hope to read cosmic history in the properties of
the faintest, most distant galaxies yet observed.
The stars formed by the word of God. Then there was a huge explosion. Most scientists refer to this as the BIG BANG, but is just the result of God's creative power.
ReplyDeleteAnyway, from the point of view of science, we can only surmise about these things. Whoever created the universe didn't leave a lot of clues. But still there are clues. :) One has to find them. :)
Yuri
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