Extinction (astronomy)

High school (ages 12+)
Space & Astronomy

Name:

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/extinction-astronomy

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. What is the extinction law variability?The wavelength dependence of extinction varies regionally, reflecting differences in dust properties
2. What is interstellar extinction?Interstellar extinction is when light from stars gets dimmer and changes color because dust and gas in space absorb and scatter it.
3. Why does blue light get dimmer than red light?Dust particles are better at blocking short, blue wavelengths, so blue light fades more than red light as it travels through space.

Mie Scattering: Scattering of electromagnetic radiation by particles comparable in size to the wavelength.
Spectral Energy Distribution (SED): The distribution of a celestial object's electromagnetic radiation across different wavelengths.
Color Excess: A measure of the reddening of starlight caused by interstellar dust.
Transit Photometry: Measuring the dip in a star's brightness as a planet passes in front of it.