AboutTom Whiting Expertise Astronomy has been my hobby/pasttime for over 50 years. Currently own 3 telescopes, the largest of which is a 30 inch Newtonian truss Dob that is portable.I taught Astronomy/Meteorology at the University Level for 13 years before retiring in 1995. Being retired and home most of the time, I am able to answer all questions relatively quickly, unless it's a new moon weekend with good observing conditions. No astrology questions please, or questions about alleged UFO picture identifications.
Experience Experience: Astronomy has been my hobby and study for over 50 years. We currently now own a 30 inch portable telescope (Updated - Pennsylvania`s largest portable telescope). It can be seen on our website at:http://www.velocity.net/~bwhiting and also attend several regional starparties during the year, and have been on 5 total solar eclipse expeditions.
Organizations: President, Erie County Mobile Observers Group for over 15 years.
Publications: Wrote the "Over Erie Skies" newspaper article in our local newspaper for 11 years (1975-86).
Education: Masters Degree- Taught at the University level for 13 years. Retired 20 years -USAF Pilot - KC-135 with 180 combat missions; Also Eagle Scout, Philmont staff 2 Yrs, Order of Arrow Lodge Chief, Ham Radio (inactive).
Awards: two discoveries: The mini-coathanger asterism in Ursa Minor (the little dipper) And the mini-ladle- another asterism in the bowl of Ursa Minor. Clients: Currently President of the ECMOG as mentioned above.
Education/Credentials BS Metallurgical Engineering Grove City College, PAMaster's Degree, Gannon University, Erie, PA
Also retired USAF pilot, 20 years.
Question What do radio waves, infrared radiation, visible light, ultraviolet radiation, X-rays, and gamma rays have in common? How do they differ?
Answer Hi Dyonna,
You've just named off all the forms of radiation on the electromagnetic spectrum.
All of those are massless photons traveling at light speed through a vacuum (186,000 miles per second).
The only difference is their wavelength/frequency. (Wavelength is the reciprocal of the frequency). The radio photons have very long wavelengths (low frequencies) and the gamma rays have very short wavelengths (high frequencies). Radio photons from space can't hurt your skin, but the very short wavelengths are very harmful to carbon-based lifeforms...so you want to avoid UV, X-rays, and gamma radiation photons. Fortunately our atmosphere blocks all X-ray and gamma rays coming from the sun (by absorption collisions with the air), and most of the UV. But it's transparent to visible light, infrared (fancy name for heat), and radio photons.
So that's the only difference, the wavelength of the photon. (Read that - long wavelenth is
low energy photons and short wavelength is very high energy photons, so the gamma ray has the
highest energy level for a photon).
Hope this helps,
Clear Skies,
Tom Whiting
Erie, PA
