SPACE BACKGROUND STUDY

Abstract

A summary report is presented of a two-year effort to obtain and present astronomical data designed to show the nature and extent of the infrared space background. Emphasis in the first phase was placed on historical and theoretical considerations of the problem. A summary table of the computed infrared magnitudes of 235 stars in three infrared wavebands is presented, based on the assumption that stars radiate as blackbodies over their entire spectral range. The second phase was designed to test the foregoing assumption by observing and measuring, in the infrared, a number of selected astronomical sources. To this end, two infrared photometer systems were designed, constructed and employed on the Perkins and Mount Wilson Observatories' telescopes. The results of the observations made with these photometers from October, 1960 to September, 1961, are presented.

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Document Details

Document Type
Technical Report
Publication Date
Dec 06, 1961
Accession Number
AD0269218

Entities

People

  • Anthony J. G. Prasil
  • Philip E. Barnhart

Tags

Communities of Interest

  • Advanced Electronics
  • Sensors
  • Weapons Technologies

DTIC Thesaurus Topics

  • Celestial Brightness
  • Contracts
  • Detection
  • Detectors
  • Infrared Detectors
  • Infrared Radiation
  • Infrared Stars
  • Jet Propulsion
  • Measurement
  • Observation
  • Observatories
  • Observers
  • Optical Detectors
  • Photometers
  • Radial Velocity
  • Standards
  • Stars

Fields of Study

  • Physics

Readers

  • Astronomy/Astrophysics
  • Spectroscopy.
  • Technical Research and Report Writing.

Technology Areas

  • Space