Educational activities with Arduino to learn about astronomy

There is a need to promote better science, technology, and mathematics (STEM) education at all school levels. Arduino makes it possible by creating the next generation of STEAM programs that empower students on their learning journey through middle school, high school, and university. These kinds of technologies make it possible to make abstract concepts concrete and manipulable, far from the experience of children and young people, increasing the possibilities of learning. Following the constructionist ideas and practices, the National Institute for Astrophysics has developed play.inaf.it, a web platform that collects various coding, educational robotics, making, and tinkering activities, using astronomy and astrophysics as a tool to develop computational thinking and all the skills that are typical of scientific research in the STEM field. In this paper we want to present two projects created by the Play group. The first one aims to create, using an Arduino board, one LED and a photoresistor, an exhibit capable to describe one of the methods most used to identify exoplanets: the transit method, which exploits the fact that the brightness of a star decreases when the planet passes in front of it, with respect to our line of sight. Thanks to this project it is possible both to know Arduino and understand the information that astronomers can obtain from so-called light curves, such as the orbital period, the size of the planet, etc. The second activity aims to create and turn on one or more constellations using Arduino and some LEDs. In this way it will be possible to describe - through an active, cooperative, and operational approach - what are the stars, the constellations and the close relationship that has linked man to the sky since the dawn of time. Thanks to Arduino it is possible to encourage creativity, allowing everyone to give shape and substance to their ideas because the only limit we can set is our imaginatio

LFI Beams Delivery: Format Specifications

This note is to describe the data format in which LFI beams are delivered from the LFI System Team to the DPC. Essentially, the format is the GRASP8 one [1]. In this framework not all possible values for the involved GRASP8 variables are explained. Only the useful values for PLANCK/LFI beam simulations are discussed

NI-DC Power Source DC Voltage 2 LNA

This document describes the software designed to control the three voltage stages of the two Low Noise Amplifiers provided by INAF (back-up option) to test the fore-optics at ambient temperature

Comparison between tests and simulations on QM 30 GHz and 44 GHz feed horns

The purpose of this technical note is to show the comparison between the measured and simulated patterns of the feed horns at 30 and 44 GHz

LFI Main Beams at 30 GHz

This note is to present the results of main beam optical simulations carried out for the LFI dual profiled corrugated feed horns at 30 GHz. Both polarizations have been considered for each feed. The simulations have been carried out in the transmitting mode using GRASP8 software package [1]. PO/PTD has been used on both reflectors

LFI Main Beams at 70 GHz

This note is to present the results of main beam optical simulations carried out for the LFI dual profiled corrugated feed horns at 70 GHz. Both polarizations have been considered for each feed. The simulations have been carried out in the transmitting mode using GRASP8 software package. PO/PTD has been used on both reflectors

Planck/LFI: Field Distribution on Primary Mirror for the Baseline Telescope

In order to optimise the angular resolution (10 arcmin at 100GHz as a goal, 12 arcmin as a requirement) and at the same time to minimise all the systematics coming from the side lobes of the radiation pattern, it is necessary to carry out a detailed study of the optical interfaces. The side lobes level is driven by the so called Edge Taper, which is defined as the ratio between the power incident at the centre of the reflector and the power incident at the reflector edges. A strong taper (or an high value of the Edge Taper) means a strong under–illumination of the reflector which implies a degradation of the angular resolution. On the contrary, increasing the illumination of the telescope (low values of the Edge Taper) improves the angular resolution and degrades the stray light rejection of the telescope. The Edge Taper can be modified by changing the feed horn design, and thus how the horn illuminates the telescope can be controlled. A preliminary study of the primary mirror Edge Taper of the Planck telescope baseline configuration (CASE1 design) is reported here. Because of the symmetry of the Planck Focal Plane Unit, this study has been limited to 15 LFI feed horns. The simulations have been carried out in the transmitting mode using GRASP8 software package

LFI Main Beams at 44 GHz

This note is to present the results of main beam optical simulations carried out for the LFI dual profiled corrugated feed horns at 44 GHz. Both polarizations have been considered for each feed. The simulations have been carried out in the transmitting mode using GRASP8 software package. PO/PTD has been used on both reflectors

LFI 4pi Beams at 30 GHz

This note is to present the results of 4pi beam optical simulations carried out for the LFI dual profiled corrugated feed horns at 30 GHz. Both polarizations have been considered for each feed. The simulations have been carried out in the transmitting mode using GRASP8 software package coupled with the MrGTD add−on package

Planck/LFI: Main Beam Locations and Polarization Alignment for the LFI Baseline FPU

This Technical Note collects the data – location on the sky, polarisation direction, FWHM and directivity – of the LFI main beams for the new LFI Baseline Focal Plane Unit