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American Museum of Natural History

Gathering Light

786b

While refracting and reflecting telescopes use different means of collecting light, the same principle applies to both—the bigger the aperture, the more light collected.



Gathering Light



  • More About This Resource...

    • Students learn how a telescope's aperture determines how much light it can gather in this Moveable Museum unit. It has three procedures, one of which is optional. The four-page PDF guide includes:

      • Educator materials—general background readings, activity notes, step-by-step directions, and information about where to obtain supplies.
      • Making the Light-Collecting Box procedure—students use readily available materials to create a "two-room" box and index cards with different-size holes (apertures).
      • Using the Light-Collecting Box procedure—students use flashlights to see how aperture size determines the amount of light in each room of the shoebox.
      • Optional Extension procedure—students add radiometers to the experiment, learning how these detectors for light work.

    • Completion Time

      Approximately 1 period

    • Topic

      Astronomy

    • Subtopic

      Tools and Methods

    • Subtopic

      National Science Education Standards
      Grades K-4:

      • 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 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:App

    • Learning Standard

      National Science Education Standards
      Grades K-4:

      • 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 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:App