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American Museum of Natural History

Filtering Light

filtering-light_thumb

All the color photos of astronomical phenomena that we see in magazines and books begin as three separate images—one red, one green, and one blue. Explore how CCD cameras and their color filters work.


Filtering LIght



  • More About This Resource...

    • Students learn how CCD cameras use color filters to create astronomical images in this Moveable Museum unit. The four-page PDF guide includes:

      • Educator materials—general background readings, activity notes, and step-by-step directions.
      • Thinking in Colors procedure—students look at a black-and-white photos and an M&M "still life" to understand gray scale.
      • Observing with Filters procedure—students examine the M&M still life through red and green cellophane paper.
      • Looking Around with Filters procedure—students construct simple red and green cellophane filters and observe magazine images through them.

    • Completion Time

      Approximately 1 period

    • Topic

      Astronomy

    • Subtopic

      Tools and Methods

    • Subtopic

      National Science Education Standards
      Grades 5-8:

      • Science as Inquiry CONTENT STANDARD A:• Physical Science CONTENT STANDARD B:• Science and Technology CONTENT STANDARD E:• Science in Personal and Social Perspectives CONTENT STANDARD F:• History and Nature of Science CONTENT STANDARD G:

      Grades 9-12:

      • Science as Inquiry CONTENT STANDARD A:• Physical Science CONTENT STANDARD B:• Science and Technology CONTENT STANDARD E:• History and Nature of Science CONTENT STANDARD G:

    • Learning Standard

      National Science Education Standards
      Grades 5-8:

      • Science as Inquiry CONTENT STANDARD A:• Physical Science CONTENT STANDARD B:• Science and Technology CONTENT STANDARD E:• Science in Personal and Social Perspectives CONTENT STANDARD F:• History and Nature of Science CONTENT STANDARD G:

      Grades 9-12:

      • Science as Inquiry CONTENT STANDARD A:• Physical Science CONTENT STANDARD B:• Science and Technology CONTENT STANDARD E:• History and Nature of Science CONTENT STANDARD G: