Astronomy Above the Atmosphere:

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Astronomy Above the Atmosphere Nancy Grace
Roman prepared by Ruth Howes Marquette
University with support from the Wisconsin
Space Grant Consortium
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The Beginning of Space-Based Astronomy World War
II saw the development of rockets as
weapons. Further research offered the
possibility of placing satellites in
orbit. National Aeronautics and Space
Administration (NASA) formed in1958 from a
combination of the National Advisory Committee
on Aeronautics and the rocket group from the
Naval Research Laboratory. Although NASAs
primary focus was on manned space flight,
scientists recognized the opportunity for basic
research in astronomy from satellites.
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Image from NASA and downloaded from
http//en.wikipedia.org/wiki/ImageAtmospheric_tra
nsmittance_infrared.gif
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Images of two stars showing blurring from seeing.
A negative short-exposure image of the binary
star Zeta Bootis, taken with the enNordic
Optical Telescope in May 2000. Further details
can be found at http//www.mrao.cam.ac.uk/telescop
es/coast/theses/rnt/node48.html
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A V2 Rocket Imperial War Museum - picture
scanned by me Ian Dunster 1357, 17 September
2005 (UTC) from Weapons War Machines compiled
by Andrew Kershaw and Ian Close - Phoebus - 1976
- ISBN 0-7026-0008-3 and credited to Imperial
War Museum.
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Nancy Grace Roman Photograph from NASA
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Highlights of Nancy Grace Romans Career B.A. in
astronomy from Swarthmore College Ph.D. from the
University of Chicago work done at Yerkes
Observatory Research Associate, Instructor, and
Assistant Professor at Yerkes and the University
of Chicago research on chemical composition of
groups of stars Astronomer at the Naval Research
Laboratory. Numerous projects including radar
measurement of distance to moon Joins NASA in
charge of space-based programs in the visible
and ultraviolet
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Roman Starts NASAs Astronomy Program Visits to
all major astronomy departments and relevant
industries to sell the idea of using
satellites. Establishes external advisory board
to reduce friction between astronomers at
universities and those at NASA NASA will fund
space-based astronomy NSF will fund
ground-based astronomy. Staffs work out the
gray areas. Dealt with barrage of publicity as a
woman holding high rank in NASA
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NASAs Four Great Observatories from
http//www.nasa.gov/audience/forstudents/postsecon
dary/features/F_ NASA_Great_Observatories_PS.html
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The Hubble Space Telescope from
http//www.nasa.gov/audience/forstudents/postsecon
dary/features/F_ NASA_Great_Observatories_PS.html
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Stars Form in the Eagle Nebula As photographed
by The Hubble Space Telescope
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M-100 photographed by the Hubble Space Telescope
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Hubble Image of the Planet Mars
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The Compton Gamma Ray Observatory
from http//www.nasa.gov/audience/forstudents/post
secondary/features/F_ NASA_Great_Observatories_PS.
html
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The Milky Way in Gammas as shown by data from
the Compton Gamma Ray Observatory
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The Chandra X-Ray Telescope from
http//www.nasa.gov/audience/forstudents/postsecon
dary/features/F_ NASA_Great_Observatories_PS.html
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Two Galaxies Collided to form the Cartwheel
Galaxy shown here as a composite of data from the
Hubble (green), Spitzer (red) and Chandra
(purple). Credit NASA/JPL-Caltech/P. N.
Appleton (SSC/Caltech )
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The Spitzer Space Telescope from http//www.nasa.g
ov/audience/forstudents/postsecondary/features/F_
NASA_Great_Observatories_PS.html
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