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SIGNIFICANCE, PRACTICALITY, AUTHENTICITY&OPULENCEOF OBSERVATIONAL LEADING TO VARIOUS EXTRAORDINARY APPLICATIONS IN

G V Naveen Prakash1, S A Mohan Krishna2, K B Vinay3, Khalid Imran4, K S Ravi5, N S Linge Gowda6, B S Nithyananda7, R Shivashankar8

Department of 1,2,3,4,5,7,8 VVCE, Mysuru, Karnataka, India Department of Chemistry, 6, VVCE, Mysuru, Karnataka, India Email address: [email protected]

Abstract: Astronomy compels the soul to look upwards. This fascinating oldest science not only helps the people to look upwards, but has fabulous engineering applications. This paper will benefit people to know about the importance, opulence of astronomy leading to many engineering applications. Keywords: Astronomy, fascinating, engineering, importance, applications.

1. Introduction ‗Astronomy‘ is an incredible field of study for many reasons, not least of which is its accessibility to anyone who wanders out on a clear night and gazes skywards to the . The sky is the laboratory, observation is the experiment, and eyes are the equipment. A significant amount of basic astronomical science can be accomplished without any observing device other than the human eye. ‗Astronomy‘ is the study and perceptive of the universe beyond the Earth. Man has evolved on a from which he could witness celestial phenomena like the motions of the , Moon, and Stars the dramatic emergence of Comets and meteors and the sporadic eclipsing of the Sun and the Moon.

Sky is always the limit. ‗Sky Watching‘ is one of the most fascinating, enjoying and thrilling experience. Winter sky is the best time to watch the night sky, as 2009 and 2010 is very congenial for sky watching. If we witness the sky on a dark, clear night we can see billions of stars. They are not alike; they are of different colours, and of course they differ in brightness. Our Sun is a normal ; indeed, astronomers relegate it to the status of a yellow dwarf. It appears so much more splendid than the rest only because it is much closer to us. Its distance is only 150,000,000,000 kilometers, or one ; all the other stars are extremely remote that their distances are measured in millions of millions of miles. The Sun is the center of the Solar System, and is attended by nine planets, of which the Earth comes third on order of distance. According to prominent astronomers, there are about 400 billion stars in Milky Way Galaxy.

The best way to enjoy the beauty of the star-studded night sky is to use our eyes only, without being encumbered with optical aids like binoculars and telescopes. In fact, the wide angle of vision that observation with unaided eye allows is not available if we look through a pair of binoculars or a telescope. They do allow us to see a magnified or brighter image, but at the same time drastically reduce the field of view. According to International Astronomical Union, Eighty-eight constellations are properly recognized and legitimately named. The stars are secluded that their individual or ―proper‖ motions are too slight to be noticed with the naked eye even over periods of many lifetimes, so that to all intent and purposes the constellation patterns do not change. The sky on a clear day is an expanse of monotonous azure, may be with a few whiffs of cloud. But after sundown things change dramatically. As daylight fades in to dusk and eventually into night, the pulchritude of the star-studded sky reveals itself in its full splendor. If is a moonless night and sky is comprehensible, we will be able to appreciate this grandeur [1 – 7].

2. Practicality and Opulence Particularly for children to spread the awareness of astronomy and sky watching, people must try to set up a ‗Planetarium‘ or ‗Observatory‘. The best time for sky watching is in the months of December, January and February. Sky conditions are usually defined by two characteristics, seeing, or the steadiness of the air, and

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transparency, light scattering due to the amount of water vapor and particulate material in the air. When we observe the Moon and the planets, and they appear as though water is running over them, probably have bad ―sky watching‖ because we are observing through turbulent air. In conditions of good ―sky watching‖, the stars appear steady without twinkling, when we look at them with unassisted eyes or without a telescope. Ideal ―transparency‖ is when the sky is inky black and the atmosphere is free from pollution. Selecting an observing site is also an important aspect. Travel to the best site that is reasonably accessible. It should be away from city lights, and upwind from any source of air pollution. Always choose as high an elevation as possible; this will get us above some of the lights and pollution and will definitely ensure that we aren‘t in any ground fog. Try to accomplish preferably dark region, unobstructed view of the horizon, especially the Southern horizon if we are in the Northern Hemisphere and vice versa. Observing through a window is not recommended because the window glass will distort images considerably. An open window can be even worse, because indoor air will escape out of the window, causing turbulence or instability which also affects images. Kindly remember, Sky Watching or Astronomy is an outdoor activity. The best conditions will have still air, and obviously, a clear view of the sky. It is not necessary that the sky be cloud-free. Often broken cloud conditions provide excellent sky watching. Do not view immediately after sunset. After the sun sets completely, the Earth is still cooling, causing air turbulence. As the night goes on, not only will seeing improve, but air pollution and ground lights will often diminish. Some of the best observing time is often in the early morning hours. Sky Watching is an excellent serious leisure pursuit. None can rival the marvel of night sky. In the months of January, February and March one can comfortably witness the gas giants Mercury, Venus, , and Saturn. Presently Mercury is perceptible very low in the east before sunrise or low in the west after sunset. Venus is the most dazzling object perceptible in the western evening sky. Likewise, Mars in the morning sky, Jupiter in the eastern sky and Saturn in evening sky. In March 2010, five planets are clearly visible in the night sky. Other than this, the dazzling stars namely Sirius, Canopus, Capella, Arcturus, Rigel, Betelgeuse, Regulus, Aldeberan and the most famous Orion Nebula are clearly discernable. Some periodic comets are also clearly perceptible to the unaided eye. When we project telescope directly to these objects, one can contentedly scan the features and other marvels. If you are keen to see through a telescope, do not directly project at the Sun. Permanent eye damage will result. Use a proper solar filter firmly mounted on the front of the telescope for viewing the Sun. When observing the Sun, place a dust cap over finderscope or remove it to protect from accidental exposure. Many occultations, meteor showers, satellite flyby, eclipses are possible next year. Astronomy finds exorbitant application in engineering, , , technology transfer, energy sector, medicine, chemistry, cryogenics and so on.

3. Applications in Engineering (I) Aerospace Engineering Engineering on an astronomical scale, or astronomical engineering or engineering involving operations with whole astronomical objects (planets, stars, etc.), is a known theme in , as well as a matter of recent scientific research and .Both aerospace engineer and astronomer are among the types of aerospace careers offered by organizations such as NASA and private sector space exploration ventures. It is the nature of their work, and their education, that distinguishes these two occupations. The benefits of choosing an aerospace engineering degree over an astronomy degree include working in more practical application capacities, having more job opportunities at the undergraduate level and seeing greater gains in the overall number of jobs. Astronomy is the natural science discipline that focuses on studying space and celestial bodies such as stars, planets, meteors and galaxies. Astronomers incorporate the theories of physics, chemistry and math into their work in basic or applied research. Using equipment such as radio and optical telescopes on Earth and the Hubble Telescope in space, they learn more about space. An astronomer‘s work can be for the purpose of expanding general scientific knowledge or for the purpose of using that knowledge to develop new technology in areas such as medicine, communications, electronics and energy storage, according to the United States Bureau of Labor Statistics (BLS). Astrophysics, a term often used interchangeably with astronomy, refers to the study of the matter and energy of the universe.Aerospace engineering draws upon our scientific knowledge of space to design, develop, manufacture and test technology used in flight or in space. The specific branch of aerospace engineering that relates to astronomy is called aeronautical engineering. Aerospace engineers have a role more closely related to practical application of space science principles even compared to astronomers and astrophysicists focusing on applied research. They design and develop spacecraft including rockets and satellites as well as the technology used in spacecrafts‘ navigation, control, communications and instrumentation systems.

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Both astronomers and aerospace engineers need a foundation in physical and life sciences such as physics and chemistry as well as mathematics coursework like calculus, differential equations, linear algebra and statistics. Aerospace engineering majors typically take at least some courses offered through their college‘s physics or astronomy department, while astronomy majors may even complete courses such as Chemistry for Engineers and Mathematical Methods for Engineering and Physics. However, aerospace engineering majors move on to courses in engineering principles, structures, propulsion, aerodynamics, mechanics and stability and control. Astronomy students are more likely to take further coursework in advanced and specialized physics, including classes in astrophysics, atomic nuclear physics and modern physics laboratory work. Classes in space science, planetary science and similar courses of study are also common in astronomy and astrophysics bachelor‘s degree programs [7 -10]. (ii) Technology Transfer Astronomy and pertinent fields are at the forefront of science and technology; answering fundamental questions and driving innovation. It is for this reason that the International Astronomical Union‘s (IAU) strategic plan for 2010–2020 has three main areas of focus: technology and skills; science and research; and culture and society. A wealth of examples — many of which are outlined below — show how the study of astronomy contributes to technology, economy and society by constantly pushing for instruments, processes and software that are beyond our current capabilities. The fruits of scientific and technological development in astronomy, especially in areas such as optics and electronics, have become essential to our day-to-day life, with applications such as personal computers, communication satellites, mobile phones, Global Positioning Systems, solar panels and Magnetic Resonance Imaging (MRI) scanners. Some of the most useful examples of technology transfer between astronomy and industry include advances in imaging and communications. For example, a film called Kodak Technical Pan is used extensively by medical and industrial spectroscopists, industrial photographers, and artists, and was originally created so that solar astronomers could record the changes in the surface structure of the Sun. The sensors for image capture developed for astronomical images, known as Charge Coupled Devices (CCDs), were first used in astronomy in 1976. Within a very few years they had replaced film not only on telescopes, but also in many people‘s personal cameras, webcams and mobile phones [11 – 15]. (iii) Industry, Instrumentation & Electronics The aerospace sector shares most of its technology with astronomy — specifically in telescope and instrument hardware, imaging, and image-processing techniques.Since the development of space-based telescopes, information acquisition for defense has shifted from using ground-based to aerial and space-based, techniques. Defense satellites are essentially telescopes pointed towards Earth and require identical technology and hardware to those used in their astronomical counterparts. In addition, processing satellite images uses the same software and processes as astronomical images.Some specific examples of astronomical developments used in defense are given below (National Research Council, 2010):Observations of stars and models of stellar atmospheres are used to differentiate between rocket plumes and cosmic objects. The same method is now being studied for use in early warning systems.Observations of stellar distributions on the sky — which are used to point and calibrate telescopes — are also used in aerospace engineering. Astronomers developed a solar-blind photon counter — a device which can measure the particles of light from a source, during the day, without being overwhelmed by the particles coming from the Sun. This is now used to detect ultraviolet (UV) photons coming from the exhaust of a missile, allowing for a virtually false-alarm-free UV missile warning system. The same technology can also be used to detect toxic gases.Global Positioning System (GPS) satellites rely on astronomical objects, such as quasars and distant galaxies, to determine accurate positions. Some more direct applications of astronomical tools in medicine are listed below: Collaboration between a drug company and the Cambridge Automatic Plate Measuring Facility allows blood samples from leukemia patients to be analyzed faster and thus ensures more accurate changes in medication (National Research Council, 1991).Radio astronomers developed a method that is now used as a non-invasive way to detect tumors. By combining this with other traditional methods, there is a true-positive detection rate of 96% in breast cancer patients.Small thermal sensors initially developed to control telescope instrument temperatures are now used to control heating in neonatology units — units for the care of newborn babies [5 – 15]. (iv) Astronomy and Medicine A low-energy X-ray scanner developed by NASA is currently used for outpatient surgery, sports injuries, and in third-world clinics. It has also been used by the US Food and Drugs Administration (FDA) to study whether certain pills had been contaminated (National Research Council, 1991).Software for processing satellite pictures taken from space is now helping medical researchers to establish a simple method to implement wide-scale screening for

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Alzheimer‘s disease (ESA, 2013).Looking through the fluid-filled, constantly moving eye of a living person is not that different from trying to observe astronomical objects through the turbulent atmosphere, and the same fundamental approach seems to work for both. Adaptive optics used in astronomy can be used for retinal imaging in living patients to study diseases such as macular degeneration and retinitis pigmentosa in their early stages. Other important to everyday life that were originally developed for astronomy are listed below (National Research Council, 2010): (i) X-ray observatory technology can be employed used in current X-ray luggage belts in airports. (ii) In airports, a gas chromatograph — for separating and analyzing compounds — designed for a Mars mission is used to survey baggage for drugs and explosives. (iii) The police employ hand-held Chemical Oxygen Demand (COD) photometers — instruments developed by astronomers for measuring light intensity — to check that car windows are transparent, as determined by the law. (iv) A gamma-ray spectrometer originally used to analyze lunar soil is now used as a non-invasive way to probe structural weakening of historical buildings or to look behind fragile mosaics [16 -18].

(v) Cryogenic Engineering Cryogenics plays a key role on board space-science missions, with a range of applications, mainly in the domain of astrophysics. Indeed a tremendous progress has been achieved over the last 20 years in cryogenics, with enhanced reliability and simpler operations, thus matching the needs of advanced focal-plane detectors and complex science instrumentation. In this article we provide an overview of recent applications of cryogenics in space, with specific emphasis on science missions. The overview includes an analysis of the impact of cryogenics on the spacecraft system design and of the main technical solutions presently adopted. Critical technology developments and programmatic aspects are also addressed, including specific needs of science missions and lessons learnt from recent programmes. H. Kamerlingh-Onnes liquefied 4He for the first time in 1908 and discovered superconductivity in 1911. About 100 years after such achievements (Pobell 1996), cryogenics plays a key role on board space-science missions, providing the environment required to perform highly sensitive measurements by suppressing the thermal background radiation and allowing advantage to be taken of the performance of cryogenic detectors. In the last 20 years, several spacecraft have been equipped with cryogenic instrumentation. Among such missions we should mention IRAS (launched in 1983), ESA‘s ISO (launched in 1995) (Kessler et al. 1996) and, more recently, NASA‘s Spitzer (formerly SIRTF, launched in 2006) (Werner 2005) and the Japanese mission Akari (IR astronomy mission launched in 2006). New missions involving cryogenics are the ESA missions Planck (dedicated to the mapping of the cosmic background radiation) and Herschel (far infrared and sub-millimetre observatory), carrying instruments operating at temperatures of 0.1 K and 0.3 K, respectively (Crone et al. 2006). In 10 K to 100 K temperature range, many missions are operational, including military reconnaissance satellites (Helios), Earth observation and meteorological satellites (Meteosat Second Generation), with IR detectors operating at about 85 K (Cihlar et al. 1999). The ESA mission INTEGRAL (launched in 2002), with Stirling coolers maintaining the detectors of the spectrometer at 80 K (Winkler 2004). Different cryogenic techniques are available depending on requirements, in particular operating temperature and cooling power. From 1995 onwards, the involvement of cryogenics in space machines has been phenomenal. The following are the space machines involved cryogenically operated conditions: Infrared Astronomical Satellite (IRAS), AKARI, Hershel, Spitzer, Hubble, Planck, COBE (Cosmic Background Explorer), INTEGRAL (International Gamma ray Astrophysics Laboratory), WIRE (Wide field Infrared explorer), RHESSI (ReuvenRamaty High Energy Solar Spectroscopic Imager), ROSETTA and Space Infrared Telescope for Cosmology and Astrophysics (SPICA). Conclusions Scientific and technological accomplishments or achievements give a large competitive edge to any nation. Nations pride themselves on having the most effectual new technologies and race to achieve new scientific discoveries. But perhaps more important is the way that science can bring nations together, encouraging collaboration and creating a constant flow as researchers travel around the globe to work in international facilities. Astronomy is particularly well suited to international collaboration due to the need to have telescopes in different places around the world, in order to see the whole sky.

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