International year of light intl innovation 167 research media

INTERNATIONAL YEAR OF LIGHT

Credit: NASA, European Space Agency (ESA), M. Robberto (Space Telescope Science Institute/ESA), and the Hubble Space Telescope Orion Treasury Project Team

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INTERNATIONAL INNOVATION

INTERNATIONAL YEAR OF LIGHT

LIGHT IS LIFE In collaboration with UNESCO, scientific bodies and organisations across the globe are joining hands in 2015 for the International Year of Light and Light-Based Technologies.

To highlight the importance of light and optical technologies in our lives, citizens of the world will be hosting events so that people of all ages and backgrounds can appreciate the central role of light in science and culture, and as a cross-cutting scientific discipline that can advance sustainable development. In celebration of this truly collaborative event, International Innovation zooms in on the role light plays in creating the universe.

ABOUT THE OBJECT NAME: Orion nebula LOCATION: Orion Constellation DISTANCE FROM EARTH: 1,500 light-years DIMENSIONS: 13 light-years square

1. The Trapezium – a collection of four massive stars that shine approximately 100,000 times brighter than our Sun 2. Hydrogen and sulphur gases heated by intense ultraviolet radiation from the Trapezium’s stars 3. Stars deeply embedded in a cocoon of dust and gas 4. Stars less embedded in the nebula 5. Stars at the front of the nebula

ELECTROMAGNETIC RADIATION Scientists use the electromagnetic (EM) light spectrum – the range of all possible frequencies of EM radiation, including visible light – for numerous engineering and medical applications. For example, EM radiation with frequencies between 30 petahertz to 30 exahertz (10 pm to 10 nm) are called X-rays and are commonly used in medical imaging.

EM radiation with frequencies in the terahertz (micron) range is also starting to become popular in spectroscopy on semiconductors, as it can reveal new technological potentials of nanostructures and explore fundamental properties of many-body systems.

COLOURS IN THIS IMAGE The Orion nebula in an explosion of infrared, ultraviolet and visible-light colours: BLUE: light detected at wavelengths of 0.43, 0.50 and 0.53 microns GREEN: light with wavelengths of 0.60, 0.65 and 0.91 microns.

ORANGE: light of 3.60 microns RED: light of 8.00 microns

Look for International Year of Light events near you: www.light2015.org/Home/Event-Programme.html

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