AST195 PROJECT (ON-LINE)

SOME EQUIPMENT -- APERTURE MASKS

In this project you will make an “aperture mask” that can serve a number of purposes. You will make your own masks from materials you provide. You will need your telescope tube to “size” the mask.

You need:

· Lightweight cardboard (like cereal boxes). The cardboard must be dark material that does not let light through it.

· Small scissors (for cutting small, round holes)

· A dime & a quarter

We will use the aperture mask for the purpose of causing our telescopes to perform like the telescopes of Galileo Galilei, and also for observing stars and planets.

Click here for a video on how to construct an aperture mask for your telescope.

The mask holes must be clean, neat circles. Each mask must have your name on it in bold pen.

To get credit for this project:

· Take photos of your two aperture masks, both sitting on a table and installed in your telescope.

· You should have at least three photos: one of both the masks sitting on a table, one of the small mask installed in the telescope, and one of the large mask installed in the telescope. Make sure all the photos are “close up” so the masks are easily visible and that your name is visible on them. Make sure that you are in at least one of the photos.

· Put the three photos into a document (PDF/Word) and send to your professor.