Spectrometer Design

Documentation

Links to summary documents that would be helpful if this design were re-used in the future.

• Final timeline used at MCC in 2008 : timeline.pdf : timeline.odt
• Summary of materials used at MCC in 2008 :
• Notes on setup of optical benches :
• Handouts / presentations :
  • introductory notes about spectroscopy
  • Homework assignment from Day 1: HW_day1.doc
  • Design Challenge handouts for Day 2 : challenges.pdf
  • Synthesis presentation for Day 2 : synthesis.odp
  • The "Engineering Process" slide as a pdf engineering_process.pdf
  • The homework / lab report assignment given at the end of Thursday (Day 2): Spectrometer Design Lab Report

SpecTeCC 2008 Team Meetings

1. Friday, April 18, 8:30 a.m. = 11:30 a.m. PDT  : Minutes: spectrometer_minutes_4-18
2. Friday, May 2, 8:30 a.m. HST = 11:30 a.m. PDT : Minutes: spectrometer_minutes_5-2
3. Wednesday, June 11, 9:00 a.m. HST = 12:00 p.m. PDT : Minutes: spectrometer_minutes_6-11
4. Monday, June 30, 11:00 a.m. HST = 2:00 p.m. PDT : Minutes: spectrometer_minutes_6-30
5. TeCC Meeting, July 7 : Minutes : tecc_minutes_7-7
6. Wednesday, August 13 10:00 a.m. HST = 1:00 p.m. PDT : Minutes: spectrometer_minutes_8-13
7. Wednesday, August 27 1:00 p.m. HST = 4:00 p.m. PDT : Minutes: spectrometer_minutes_8-27
8. Wednesday, September 10 1:00 p.m. HST = 4:00 p.m. PDT : Minutes: spectrometer_minutes_9-10
9. Friday, September 26 10:30 a.m. HST = 1:30 p.m. PDT : Minutes: spectrometer_minutes_9-26

Goals

• By interacting with hands-on demos, students learn that there are different types of spectra (continuum, line) and that spectra have different characteristics (intensity, line separation).
• As a team, students address an engineering problem with a solution containing multiple parts
• In pairs/small groups, students plan/prototype/test to learn how a spectrometer functions
• Students identify design requirements for a particular observation, and work together to optimize a spectrometer for those requirements.

Activity Overview

• Day 1: Students investigate a simple spectrometer in teams of 2 or 3.
• Day 2: Students construct or adjust a working spectrometer on an optical bench to meet a set of design requirements.

Activity Timeline

The final version of the timeline is uploaded as an open office doc and a pdf, and posted above. To see earlier versions of the timeline, see the SpecDesign Activity Timeline wiki page.

Materials List

see SpecDesign Materials List

Resources

Some useful web pages with spectrometer design info.

• Build a spectrometer with a CD and a cereal box:
  • How to Design a Spectroscope  : This seems to be very close to the level we're looking for.
  • CD Spectrometer : designed for direct viewing (i.e. not for projecting onto a screen)
  • Another CD Spectrometer :
  • Simple Spectroscope : very detailed instructions, and spectral line pictures!
  • Maxbotch Spectrometer : the english is a little rough, but the diagrams are good.

• This Java Applet may be a great way to demonstrate how the bands of light we see on our cards get represented by an astronomical spectrometer.

• The Optics of Spectroscopy : Much deeper and more detailed than we need, but it looks like all the basic science and technical issues are covered here.