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Science and Stars | Isabelle Sanford ’17 | TEDxYorkSchool


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[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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