
[Music] [Applause]
[Applause]
[Applause] [Music]
[Music]
[Music] last summer I learned what science is
last summer I learned what science is
last summer I learned what science is really about I spent the summer as an
really about I spent the summer as an
really about I spent the summer as an intern at the monterey institute for
intern at the monterey institute for
intern at the monterey institute for research in astronomy where i worked on
research in astronomy where i worked on
research in astronomy where i worked on a small spectrograph and learned how to
a small spectrograph and learned how to
a small spectrograph and learned how to translate the light from distant stars
translate the light from distant stars
translate the light from distant stars into a graph that can actually be used
into a graph that can actually be used
into a graph that can actually be used to analyze the elements in those stars
to analyze the elements in those stars
to analyze the elements in those stars essentially spectroscopy is a subset of
essentially spectroscopy is a subset of
essentially spectroscopy is a subset of astronomy that takes light from distant
astronomy that takes light from distant
astronomy that takes light from distant stars and breaks it apart like a prism
stars and breaks it apart like a prism
stars and breaks it apart like a prism would into all the different wavelengths
would into all the different wavelengths
would into all the different wavelengths of light from red to blue when you do
of light from red to blue when you do
of light from red to blue when you do this precisely enough with a couple
this precisely enough with a couple
this precisely enough with a couple different lenses and such third and dark
different lenses and such third and dark
different lenses and such third and dark lines appear called absorption lines
lines appear called absorption lines
lines appear called absorption lines each of these lines signifies something
each of these lines signifies something
each of these lines signifies something about what elements the star contains
about what elements the star contains
about what elements the star contains basically different elements absorb
basically different elements absorb
basically different elements absorb different wavelengths of light so just
different wavelengths of light so just
different wavelengths of light so just by looking at a star’s light you can see
by looking at a star’s light you can see
by looking at a star’s light you can see what it’s made of and there are so many
what it’s made of and there are so many
what it’s made of and there are so many stars out there that is not even all
stars out there that is not even all
stars out there that is not even all that difficult to find one that’s never
that difficult to find one that’s never
that difficult to find one that’s never been thoroughly analyzed you could learn
been thoroughly analyzed you could learn
been thoroughly analyzed you could learn something about a star that no one else
something about a star that no one else
something about a star that no one else in the world knows of course all of that
in the world knows of course all of that
in the world knows of course all of that analysis takes a great deal of
analysis takes a great deal of
analysis takes a great deal of specialized knowledge about spectroscopy
specialized knowledge about spectroscopy
specialized knowledge about spectroscopy which I didn’t have the time to learn in
which I didn’t have the time to learn in
which I didn’t have the time to learn in three months so I didn’t actually do any
three months so I didn’t actually do any
three months so I didn’t actually do any of this analysis I just made it possible
of this analysis I just made it possible
of this analysis I just made it possible specifically what I did was take this
specifically what I did was take this
specifically what I did was take this spectrograph make it work by figuring
spectrograph make it work by figuring
spectrograph make it work by figuring out the right parts for cameras and
out the right parts for cameras and
out the right parts for cameras and connectors and such focus it and so on
connectors and such focus it and so on
connectors and such focus it and so on until it was ready to go on the
until it was ready to go on the
until it was ready to go on the telescope then one night we actually put
telescope then one night we actually put
telescope then one night we actually put it on the telescope and looked at stars
it on the telescope and looked at stars
it on the telescope and looked at stars which was really cool I was taking
which was really cool I was taking
which was really cool I was taking spectra of stars spectra which
spectra of stars spectra which
spectra of stars spectra which astronomers could use to figure out what
astronomers could use to figure out what
astronomers could use to figure out what the star was made of and even a lot
the star was made of and even a lot
the star was made of and even a lot about the size and shape of the star and
about the size and shape of the star and
about the size and shape of the star and this was something maybe only a handful
this was something maybe only a handful
this was something maybe only a handful of people had ever done with these
of people had ever done with these
of people had ever done with these specific stars
specific stars
specific stars that’s when I learned something about
that’s when I learned something about
that’s when I learned something about practical science versus the theoretical
practical science versus the theoretical
practical science versus the theoretical answers in the back of the book stuff
answers in the back of the book stuff
answers in the back of the book stuff you learn in school I didn’t go back on
you learn in school I didn’t go back on
you learn in school I didn’t go back on the telescope the next night or the next
the telescope the next night or the next
the telescope the next night or the next no for the rest of the summer I worked
no for the rest of the summer I worked
no for the rest of the summer I worked on reducing the data from that one night
on reducing the data from that one night
on reducing the data from that one night those ten stars it’s a lot more analysis
those ten stars it’s a lot more analysis
those ten stars it’s a lot more analysis and less observation than I had imagined
and less observation than I had imagined
and less observation than I had imagined because in school you go straight from
because in school you go straight from
because in school you go straight from observation to conclusion without
observation to conclusion without
observation to conclusion without looking at the enormous amount of
looking at the enormous amount of
looking at the enormous amount of analysis that goes in between so for the
analysis that goes in between so for the
analysis that goes in between so for the remainder of the summer I worked with a
remainder of the summer I worked with a
remainder of the summer I worked with a program called Midas which translates
program called Midas which translates
program called Midas which translates spectra from something looking like this
spectra from something looking like this
spectra from something looking like this there’s something more like this I I
there’s something more like this I I
there’s something more like this I I didn’t spend all of my time observing or
didn’t spend all of my time observing or
didn’t spend all of my time observing or working out which stars observe it was
working out which stars observe it was
working out which stars observe it was spent on the data after the observations
spent on the data after the observations
spent on the data after the observations were done and I didn’t even do all of
were done and I didn’t even do all of
were done and I didn’t even do all of that analysis that I just made it
that analysis that I just made it
that analysis that I just made it possible no one’s actually analyzed the
possible no one’s actually analyzed the
possible no one’s actually analyzed the data I’ve made yet there could be
data I’ve made yet there could be
data I’ve made yet there could be information lurking in those graphs that
information lurking in those graphs that
information lurking in those graphs that no one knows right now and that’s what’s
no one knows right now and that’s what’s
no one knows right now and that’s what’s so cool about science there’s so much we
so cool about science there’s so much we
so cool about science there’s so much we don’t know and it stuff like this that
don’t know and it stuff like this that
don’t know and it stuff like this that helps us learn spectroscopy for me which
helps us learn spectroscopy for me which
helps us learn spectroscopy for me which is such a small corner of astronomy
is such a small corner of astronomy
is such a small corner of astronomy which is the tiny subset of science
which is the tiny subset of science
which is the tiny subset of science which set which is such a minuscule
which set which is such a minuscule
which set which is such a minuscule portion of all the things that could be
portion of all the things that could be
portion of all the things that could be known if you go out on a dark night and
known if you go out on a dark night and
known if you go out on a dark night and look up at the sky how many stars do you
look up at the sky how many stars do you
look up at the sky how many stars do you think you could see it looks like there
think you could see it looks like there
think you could see it looks like there are millions but if it’s dark and you’re
are millions but if it’s dark and you’re
are millions but if it’s dark and you’re away from city lights and there are no
away from city lights and there are no
away from city lights and there are no clouds the human eye unaided see maybe
clouds the human eye unaided see maybe
clouds the human eye unaided see maybe 3,000 stars of course telescopes help us
3,000 stars of course telescopes help us
3,000 stars of course telescopes help us see many many more both the hundred
see many many more both the hundred
see many many more both the hundred million in our galaxy and billions more
million in our galaxy and billions more
million in our galaxy and billions more in others and each star has a spectrum
in others and each star has a spectrum
in others and each star has a spectrum and each planet around those stars have
and each planet around those stars have
and each planet around those stars have spectra
spectra
spectra and even if human civilization lasted a
and even if human civilization lasted a
and even if human civilization lasted a million years we couldn’t analyze them
million years we couldn’t analyze them
million years we couldn’t analyze them all there will always be more to learn
all there will always be more to learn
all there will always be more to learn that’s what’s so cool about science
that’s what’s so cool about science
that’s what’s so cool about science science from skier a to know but science
science from skier a to know but science
science from skier a to know but science isn’t really about what we know it’s
isn’t really about what we know it’s
isn’t really about what we know it’s about what we don’t know we can never
about what we don’t know we can never
about what we don’t know we can never know everything but science will never
know everything but science will never
know everything but science will never ever stop trying thank you
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