Get The Picture!

These two activities provide students with a hands-on experience that simulates the process of downloading actual data from a High-Energy Satellite, and allows students to translate these data into colored or shaded pixels. The first activity demonstrates how the number of counts are assigned to a pixel or a predetermined location on the detector. The second demonstrates how the data are converted into colors or shades which allow us to view an image of a cosmic source. In the first exercise, pennies will represent the photons, and the egg crate separators represent the receiving instrument on the satellite. During these activities students will be able to simulate data transfer from a gamma-ray satellite to a computer, create an image from these data, use matrix addition or subtraction to operate on data collected by a gamma-ray detector, and locate discrete gamma-ray sources in the Universe by using the scientific method. Educational levels: High school, Middle school