When an astronomer involved in a research project says he is going to look at the observatory's plate collection, what will he be looking at?
A) a collection of souvenir plates, with painting of other observatories from around the world (astronomers collect these as a hobby)
B) a series of metal disks used for changing the aperture of reflecting telescopes
C) a series of glass plates, with light-sensitive chemicals on them, on which the appearance of the sky was recorded
D) a series of insulated plastic shields, which are used to prevent stray infra-red radiation from the observatory from interfering with observations
E) what the special-of-the-day is in the observatory cafeteria

Question

Quizplus · Accepted Answer

The astronomer is likely going to look at a collection of glass plates with light-sensitive chemicals on them, on which the appearance of the sky was recorded. This is a common technique used in observational astronomy before digital imaging became widely available. The images on the plates can be analyzed and used to study the properties of stars, galaxies, and other celestial objects.

When an Astronomer Involved in a Research Project Says He