Measure the universe
Astrophysics Observatory
Operate four linked instruments to investigate how astronomers determine the properties, distances and motion of objects they cannot touch.
OCR A 5.5
AQA 3.9
Higher astrophysics
GCSE space extension
Instrument 01 · Spectrograph
Read a star from its light
How do temperature and radius determine the spectrum and luminosity of a star?
Instrument 02 · Stellar catalogue
Navigate the H–R diagram
Place a star using temperature and luminosity, then use its position to infer its type and radius.
Instrument 03 · Astrometry & telescope
Measure distance and resolving power
Use Earth's orbit to generate parallax, then decide whether your telescope can separate a close double star.
Instrument 04 · Galaxy survey
Measure an expanding universe
Link a galaxy's shifted spectral lines to its recession speed and its position on a Hubble graph.