January 2026

NASA’S GREAT OBSERVATORIES – A TRIUMPH OF THE HUMAN SPIRIT

By Tom Reid
Posted: 12/19/2024

Members of the Science Monday group share and discuss articles of scientific interest that provoke critical thinking and enhance our understanding of all things science!

Our last meeting featured Dr. Michael Werner who presented an overview of his paper, NASA’S Great Observatories – A Triumph of the Human Spirit.

Dr. Werner said, “We know telescopes, land and spaced based, use the electromagnetic spectrum to study the Universe. Now, this is where it gets very interesting. People see only the visible spectrum, so we built 4 observatories and put them into orbit that 'see' all the electromagnetic spectrum: Compton Gamma Ray; Chandra X-ray; Hubble Space (visible & some infrared); Spitzer Space Observatory, operating throughout the infrared spectrum.”

Wow, the goings on out there!

Questions among those attending this presentation began to fly like gamma rays (ah, a little hyperbole); this is fascinating! Dr. Werner’s answers produce more questions.  I was, as were others, captivated by his answers and the investigations of these four observatories.

You might consider visiting the Science Monday group: come, be enthralled by the Universe. Look for the next meeting on the Event Calendar. If you aren't yet a Villager, contact the Village staff to attend as a guest. Villager Barbara Madden said, “Our Science Monday sessions give me the opportunity to meet with others who share an interest, and to broaden my knowledge.  Some of our members are recognized experts in their field, others are dabblers (like me)... all have a passion for understanding the world and its many aspects.”