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Middleschool science class spectrometer recommendation?
Posted: Wed Feb 15, 2017 1:45 am
by Anthony M
Hello,
I'm a middle school science teacher and am interested in getting a spectroscope (oops, not a spectrometer) to accompany my HA scope for showing my students. My budget is tight (the HA scope was the majority of it). Any recommendations on good budget units that will show solar spectral characteristics that students can handle?
Thanks!
-Anthony
Re: Middleschool science class spectrometer recommendation?
Posted: Wed Feb 15, 2017 6:13 am
by ham
Hi Anthony,
Do you a Diy-er?
You may browse lightfrominfinity.org for getting detail to do this item.
Regards
Ham
Re: Middleschool science class spectrometer recommendation?
Posted: Wed Feb 15, 2017 12:39 pm
by Montana
Shelyak are the company to try, I have used these at an astronomy show and they were great! They come in various sizes from very basic to very expensive.
http://www.shelyak.com/?lang=2
I think Stephen 'Mr Solarchat' has a couple for outreach
Alexandra
Re: Middleschool science class spectrometer recommendation?
Posted: Thu Feb 16, 2017 12:50 am
by Merlin66
A DIY solution is by far the cheapest (and most interesting/ fun!)
I'd recommend something along the simple Classical design using a couple of binocular objectives and an adjustable entrance slit from Surplus Shed.
A 600 l/mm reflection grating from Optometrics, say 30 x 30mm.
With this arrangement and a 12 to 25mm eyepiece the kids will see all the prominent solar absorption lines....you can also add a webcam to project the solar spectrum on the screen......
No telescope needed.
A basic design is shown by Buil:
http://www.astrosurf.com/buil/us/spe2/hresol.htm
Any questions, just ask.
Re: Middleschool science class spectrometer recommendation?
Posted: Thu Feb 16, 2017 9:52 am
by Anthony M
Thanks all! Will look at these suggestions. I do like DIY- it's a great learning tool as students learn by doing something fun while they are at it.
Re: Middleschool science class spectrometer recommendation?
Posted: Thu Feb 16, 2017 11:34 am
by marktownley
Hi Anthony, I've made a cereal box spectrometer several times now - they work very well for the students.
https://www.google.co.uk/webhp?sourceid ... ectroscope
Re: Middleschool science class spectrometer recommendation?
Posted: Sat Feb 18, 2017 9:06 pm
by Anthony M
Thanks again for the great suggestions here guys, we are putting together materials to start out simple first and moving up from there. I asked the class to bring in a few cerial boxes, thinking students could work on it in groups but every student brought their own in and most said their parents got mad when they emptied out the cerial from them. Big oops! Anyways, I am now thoroughly convinced that I solved California's drought problem since I bought my first HA scope a couple weeks ago and now since I've started this spectroscopy project. Where is the Sun? Perhaps we should have tried a solar magnetometry project instead. Cheers, -Anthony