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For Further Exploration

For Further Exploration

Articles

Augensen, H. & Woodbury, J. “The Electromagnetic Spectrum.” Astronomy (June 1982): 6.

Darling, D. “Spectral Visions: The Long Wavelengths.” Astronomy (August 1984): 16; “The Short Wavelengths.” Astronomy (September 1984): 14.

Gingerich, O. “Unlocking the Chemical Secrets of the Cosmos.” Sky & Telescope (July 1981): 13.

Shubinski, R. “How to Read Rainbows.” Astronomy (November 2024): 24.

Stencil, R. et al. “Astronomical Spectroscopy.” Astronomy (June 1978): 6.

Websites

Doppler Effect: http://www.physicsclassroom.com/class/waves/Lesson-3/The-Doppler-Effect. A shaking bug and the Doppler Effect explained.

Electromagnetic Spectrum: http://imagine.gsfc.nasa.gov/science/toolbox/emspectrum1.html. An introduction to the electromagnetic spectrum from NASA’s Imagine the Universe; note that you can click the “Advanced” button near the top and get a more detailed discussion.

Laws of Radiation: https://www.e-education.psu.edu/meteo3/l2_p3.html. A nice discussion from a program at Penn State.

NASA’s Tour of the Electromagnetic Spectrum: https://science.nasa.gov/ems/01_intro. Provides pages on each band.

Niels Bohr Page at Nobel Prizes: https://www.nobelprize.org/prizes/physics/1922/bohr/facts/. Use the menu at left to learn more about him, read his Nobel lecture, etc.

Rainbows: How They Form and How to See Them: http://www.livescience.com/30235-rainbows-formation-explainer.html. By meteorologist and amateur astronomer Joe Rao.

Spectroscopy 101: https://webbtelescope.org/contents/articles/spectroscopy-101--types-of-spectra-and-spectroscopy. An introduction to the different types of spectra and what astronomers learn from them, from the Webb Telescope staff.

Videos

NASA has a series of useful short videos, called “Tours of the Electro-magnetic Spectrum,” which focus on one band of the spectrum each, looking at both its terrestrial and astronomical aspects:

  1. Introduction and Overview (5:03): https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=lwfJPc-rSXw.
  2. Radio Waves (3:38): https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=OzDmEA8x0nQ.
  3. Microwaves (3:03): https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=UZeBzTI5Omk.
  4. Infrared (5:22): https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=i8caGm9Fmh0.
  5. Visible Light (4:49): https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=PMtC34pzKGc.
  6. Ultraviolet Waves (3:40): https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=QW5zeVy8aE0.
  7. X-rays (2:49): https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=CCAYcuCWOnM.
  8. Gamma-rays (3:41): https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=TA5SLDiIUWs.

Blackbody Radiation: https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=_0tkbp8yk-w. A student-made video from the University of Nebraska, with useful discussion and demonstrations about the properties of blackbodies and spectra (4:38).

Doppler Effect: http://www.physicsclassroom.com/class/waves/Lesson-3/The-Doppler-Effect. Explained using the analogy of a shaking bug (5:08).

Infrared: More Than Your Eyes Can See: https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=v4J56lnl1UE. A lively introduction, with astronomer Michelle Thaller, to infrared radiation and its applications on Earth and in astronomy (6:45).

Seeing the Invisible: https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=9w_hJwX6zZA. An introduction to the non-visible bands of the electro-magnetic spectrum, to the telescopes that allow us to detect them, and what objects are prominent (HubbleCast episode 23) (9:23).

The Electromagnetic Spectrum: https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=5GIvktBSxvw. Introduction to the bands of the spectrum, the telescopes that let us observe them, and what celestial phenomena we can see in each band (5:28).

The Electromagnetic Spectrum: https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=m7c4-EO7ECE. An introduction to the different bands of the spectrum in connection with the Sun; from PBS (2:55).

Unweaving the Rainbow: https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=Qy8qlsVvVTc. An explanation of how astronomers use spectra, particularly with the Hubble Space Telescope, but also in general (6:13).

Introductions to Quantum Mechanics

Ford, Kenneth. The Quantum World. 2004. A well-written recent introduction by a physicist/educator.

Gribbin, John. In Search of Schroedinger’s Cat. 1984. Clear, very basic introduction to the fundamental ideas of quantum mechanics, by a British physicist and science writer.

Rae, Alastair. Quantum Physics: A Beginner’s Guide. 2005. Widely praised introduction by a British physicist.