Far ultraviolet camera (1969)

CARRUTHERS ENABLES OBSERVATION OF TGE STARS.

Spectrograph or the the far ultraviolet camera was one of the experiments deployed on the lunar surface by the Apollo 16 Astronauts. it is used to obtain astronomical images and spectra in far ultraviolet region of the electromagnetic spectrum.

ultraviolet light is found beyond the violet end of our visible spectrum of light, toward the X Ray. It is given off by the sun and is harmful to living things, which is why we need to wear sunscreen when we go out in the sun. Fortunately for us, most of it is absorbed by earths atmosphere. 

Ultraviolet light from place other than sun can tell us a great deal about the universe specifically about stars that are between twice and ten times the temperature of the sun. Because earths atmosphere gets in the way, astronomers find it hard to see them. By the mid 1960, however, human were journeying beyond earths atmosphere  

Normal camera pick up only light around the visible spectrum, but on November 11, 1969, astrophysicist Dr. George Carruthers was a granted a patent for an "image converter for detecting electromagnetic radiation especially in short wave lengths". the far ultraviolet camera was a 3 inch(7.62 cm),48.5 pounds, gold plated apparatus that could see stars that are a hundred times fainter than those that can be seen with the human eye. The camera was sent up with Apollo 16 mission in 1972 and placed on The moons surface, allowing researchers to examine earths atmosphere for concentration of pollutants. In record nearly 200 images, giving astronomers data on over 550 stars, nebulae, and galaxies, as well as providing new views of earth. The camera looked into the ionosphere the highest part of our atmosphere and gave us some of our earliest solid data on the concentration of man made pollutants. carruthers was awarded national metal of technology and innovation the nations highest honor for technology acheivement.