Launchpad: Atmosphere and Optical Telescopes
Learn about the effect of our atmosphere on optical telescopes. Discover how the geography of Mauna Kea, Hawaii helps astronomers overcome the problems of light pollution and the atmosphere. See why you might need a coat to visit the Big Island!
Background Information
Grades 9 through 12
- Institute for Astronomy; University of Hawaii Mauna Kea Observatories
- Institute for Astronomy; University of Hawaii NASA InfraRed Telescope Facility
- NASA Milky Way Panorama from Mauna Kea
- Space Telescope Science Institute Light, Color & Optics
- Space Telescope Science Institute Telescopes from the Ground Up
Activities
Grades 9 through 12
- University of California, Berkeley Light Detectives: Using WISE Data to Identify Brown Dwarfs and ULIRGs