4th Fest Fireworks Demystifyied by Special Free Eyeglasses

The Penn State Department of Astronomy and Astrophysics will providing special eyeglasses, free of charge, to spectators at the Central PA 4thfest, who can use the glasses to identify the types of atoms responsible for producing the different colors of fireworks.

The eyeglasses, made by American Paper Optics, will be distributed from 4:00 p.m. to 8:00 p.m. on 4 July 2009 at the astronomy department's Founders' Mall table at the Bryce Jordan Center. The glasses also will be distributed throughout the crowd during the fireworks show.

Like prisms, the eyeglasses break light up into its individual colors. Each of these colors is a form of energy that is created when electrons of atoms from particular elements - such as the calcium or sodium from which many fireworks are made - jump from positions of higher energy to positions of lower energy.

"By looking through the eyeglasses, spectators will see the colors of the fireworks spread out in a rainbow, with discrete lines of color on top," said Brendan Mullan, a graduate student in the astronomy department who is helping to organize the event. "A purple explosion might register as a few lines of blue and red superimposed on a spectrum of colors, for example. The colors of these individual lines and their locations along the spectrum can tell you what element made the flash."

Astronomers use technology similar to that of the eyeglasses in their research labs and telescopes to determine the composition of extremely distant objects.

"These glasses are a fun way to show people how we know what faraway stars and galaxies are made of," said Chris Palma, Associate Director of Outreach for the Penn State Eberly College of Science. "It's also kind of a preview of some of the exciting activities in store for the upcoming "AstroFest" event that will take place during Arts Fest."

For more information, visit the Web at www.astro.psu.edu/astrofest/fireworks.html or contact the Penn State Department of Astronomy and Astrophysics (by phone at 814-865-0418 from 8 a.m. to 5 p.m. or by e-mail at planetarium@astro.psu.edu).

Provided by Penn State