New research instrument shows colorful vibrations of stars
Although photography is classified as an art form, Dr. Mike Reed, associate professor of astronomy at Missouri State University, has developed a new photographic instrument that can be used to further his seismology research. It is a variation of a 3-CCD photometer, which he has termed the Grindstaff Tricolor Camera or GT Cam, and it is only the fourth such instrument in the world.
A 3-CCD photometer is a set of three cameras mounted at three locations, and each camera photographs the same field of stars while being connected to its own computer. These cameras simultaneously take pictures in three separate colors, according to Reed.
“We do seismology of stars – that is the vibrations of stars. The vibrations are different depending on the color you look at, so by looking at a vibrating star simultaneously in three colors, we see three different features that we can use to understand the inside of the star,” Reed explained.
The National Science Foundation granted Reed the funds to build this instrument for his seismology research.
Reed, along with a team of students and researchers, completed the build shortly before their January observations at Kitt Peak National Observatory. The team will return to Kitt Peak for more observations on Feb. 20.
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