VLA Tour

Name: Date:

VLA Tour - Part One Critical Thinking Please find answers to the following questions. Always answer the question in complete sentences.

Ready? Begin!

1. What are radio waves?

2. What is the purpose of the VLA?

3. What do you think is the value of the VLA?

4. What do the scientists working at the VLA do?

5.What are 5 discoveries made by the VLA that you learned about?

6. What are some other things you would like to know about the VLA?

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VLA Tour - Part Two Crossword Puzzle

Complete the crossword puzzle using the knowledge you’ve obtained while touring the VLA!

Across: 1. Radio waves have the _____ wavelengths in the electromagnetic spectrum.

5. The specially designed lifting locomotive, called a _____, relocates antennas along the array.

7. A radio _____ amplifies radio waves and converts them to a format that can be stored on a computer.

10. Karl _____ discovered radio waves coming from the center of the Milky Way. 11. A superdense neutron star that sends powerful lighthouse beams out into space.

15. The number of radio telescopes that make up the VLA.

Down: 2. The VLA has been doing cutting edge science since _____!

3. _____ waves make up the electromagnetic spectrum.

4. A branch of astronomy that studies the universe using radio frequencies is called _____ astronomy.

6. Movies and documentaries have been _____ at the VLA. 8. The radio telescopes at the VLA do not transmit, they only _____.

9. The VLA is open _____ for visitors!

12. Another term sometimes used to describe a radio telescope is an _____.

13. Each VLA radio telescope weighs 230 _____!

14. Grote _____ built the first radio telescope in 1937

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VLA Tour - Part Three Coloring Incredible!! Comet has just detected an impressive radio signal coming from space. This interstellar cloud is called an H I region (neutral hydrogen cloud), meaning that its primary composition of hydrogen contains no charge. H I regions, invisible to the human eye, are mapped using radio telescopes.

Since 2002, hundreds have been discovered using the VLA! Comet’s picture of the HII region turned out a little plain. Help her give it some color using the numbered regions on the picture with the color key on the right.

KEY 1 = RED 2 = YELLOW 3 = GREEN 4 = BLUE

(Did you know? H I regions are used to map the structure of spiral galaxies. They are also use to determine which way galaxies are moving.)

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