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A Bit About Me!: May 2006april 2004 Belinda Wilkes

The document introduces Dr. Belinda Wilkes, an astrophysicist who works at the Smithsonian Astrophysical Observatory and runs the Chandra X-ray Observatory under contract with NASA. It then provides an overview of her background and education, as well as summaries of her presentations on topics like the life cycle of stars, stellar nurseries, the Crab Nebula, and Chandra's launch and mission.

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Vinay Patil
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42 views

A Bit About Me!: May 2006april 2004 Belinda Wilkes

The document introduces Dr. Belinda Wilkes, an astrophysicist who works at the Smithsonian Astrophysical Observatory and runs the Chandra X-ray Observatory under contract with NASA. It then provides an overview of her background and education, as well as summaries of her presentations on topics like the life cycle of stars, stellar nurseries, the Crab Nebula, and Chandra's launch and mission.

Uploaded by

Vinay Patil
Copyright
© © All Rights Reserved
Available Formats
Download as PPT, PDF, TXT or read online on Scribd
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A bit about me!

Dr. Belinda Wilkes, Professional Astrophysicist


(Astronomer)
Smithsonian Astrophysical Observatory,
Cambridge, Mass., USA
On contract to NASA to run Chandra X-ray
Observatory (Hubbles X-ray sister)
English, BSc St. Andrews, PhD Cambridge
In USA since 1982
May 2006April 2004

Belinda Wilkes

Astronomers learn by looking

May 2006April 2004

Belinda Wilkes

Life Cycle of a Star


The Sun:
our nearest star

May 2006April 2004

Belinda Wilkes

Stars have different colors


B: blue hottest
A: green warm
C: red - cool

What can we measure?

May 2006April 2004

Belinda Wilkes

Color, Brightness + Count them

May 2006April 2004

Belinda Wilkes

What makes the Sun Shine?

May 2006April 2004

Belinda Wilkes

Where are Stars Born?


Clusters: Pleiades

May 2006April 2004

Belinda Wilkes

Stellar Nurseries
Optical
Infrared: 30 Doradus in LMC

May 2006April 2004

Belinda Wilkes

Circumstellar Disks
Infrared

First image of dust


disk, around 18th
brightest star
25 light years away
Disk thought to be
debris left from planet
formation

May 2006April 2004

Belinda Wilkes

May 2006April 2004

Belinda Wilkes

Stellar Life
Star burns fuel in its core
(fusion: HHelium)
Initially fuel is H, star is on
Main Sequence Adult
(e.g. The Sun)
When H runs out, core
heats up and He, burns:
Middle Age (Giant star)
then He runs out, it burns
heavier elements, e.g. Fe

May 2006April 2004

Belinda Wilkes

HR Diagram shows age and mass

May 2006April 2004

Belinda Wilkes

Death of a Star
When all fuel runs out, the core collapses
Outer regions of star explode outwards: Supernova
SN shine more brightly than a galaxy for a few hours/days

May 2006April 2004

Belinda Wilkes

We are made of stardust!

May 2006April 2004

Belinda Wilkes

Cassiopeia A: X-rays

May 2006April 2004

Belinda Wilkes

The Crab Nebula


Chandra X-ray Observatory: X-ray

May 2006April 2004

Hubble Space T/p: Optical

Belinda Wilkes

Chandra X-ray Observatory

May 2006April 2004

Belinda Wilkes

What are X-rays?

May 2006April 2004

Belinda Wilkes

Focusing X-rays

May 2006April 2004

Belinda Wilkes

Launch: 23 July 1999


Space Shuttle Columbia

May 2006April 2004

Belinda Wilkes

STS-93 Shuttle Crew


Commander:
Eileen Collins
Mission Spclst:
Cady Coleman
Astronomer:
Steve Hawley

May 2006April 2004

Belinda Wilkes

Supernovae by Chandra

May 2006April 2004

Belinda Wilkes

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