You can see at any moment where FUSE is above the Earth in its orbit, what star or galaxy is currently being observed with FUSE, what other observations are planned, and you can get an idea of how astronomical observations are done using a telescope in space. Thus, the challenge before the FUSE scientist and the Science Center is to make the unseen comprehensible, and even informative. To explain this, hands-on interactive exhibitry exploring the electromagnetic spectrum and relating abstract scientific concepts to everyday experiences is being created. The exhibit will address what FUSE will tell us about the evolution and origin of our Universe, our planet and ourselves.
Astronomers identify the presence of elements millions of light years distant by their spectra.
Each element creates a unique spectrum similar to how each individual person has a unique fingerprint. Aboard FUSE, a spectrograph will divide incoming light into its component wavelengths, creating a spectral portrait of the astronomical object emitting or absorbing that light. We are helping the MSC to design activities which will allow visitors to understand spectroscopy, superficially read spectra, and learn how spectra can tell scientists the chemical make-up, physical conditions, and speed of an object in the distant Universe. You will gain an awareness of the technique of spectroscopy as a diagnostic tool for learning about the Universe. You will learn how studies at different wavelengths yield different and complementary information about astronomical objects.