Al Nagler

High school (ages 12+)
Science & Technology

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Date:

Step 1 · Read the article

Open the article and read it at the level above. Then answer the questions below in your own words.

https://smallwhale.org/articles/al-nagler

Write what each word means, using the article.

Do not copy the article. Write two things you learned, the way you would explain them to a friend.

Answers below are taken from the article’s stored facts, so they match what the student read.

1. When was Al Nagler born?1921
2. When did Al Nagler die?2015
3. What is Al Nagler known for?Inventing and championing the use of segmented mirrors for large optical telescopes
4. What is the related topics?Optical engineering, telescope design, adaptive optics, large-scale structures
5. What did Al Nagler invent that helped telescopes see farther?He invented the segmented mirror, using many small hexagonal pieces that fit together like a big puzzle. This lets telescopes be much larger and see more stars.
6. Why is the segmented mirror better than a single big mirror?A single big mirror is hard to make, very expensive, and can bend. Segmented mirrors are easier to build, cheaper, and can be moved and adjusted to stay perfectly flat.

Monolithic Mirror: A single, solid piece of material used as a mirror, as opposed to one made of multiple pieces.
Optical Engineering: The branch of engineering concerned with the design and application of optical instruments and systems.
Exoplanet: A planet that orbits a star outside of our own solar system.
Adaptive Optics: Technology used to improve the performance of optical instruments by correcting for atmospheric distortions.