High School Assignment question

[batema (Mark)]

Hi,

One of my Yr 12 Physics students has to perform an experiment and he was going to compare the different types of gas compositions of a number of different nebula to see if are any similarities. I was wondering if he took an image with a H alpha, OIII and sulphur 2 filter of the same nebula would the images produced only show light produced from that type of atom(filter used). Could he then compare the amount of each using some grid method and then move onto another nebula. He would be shooting through a canon 400d unmodified or we do have a QHY-9.

Any advice would be greatly appreciated.

Mark

[mswhin63 (Malcolm)]

Is there any practice aspect of this assignment or able to use scientific data available to the public.

HA will look at Hydrogen, OIII to oxygen and SII for sulphur but a more accurate method is to use Spectroscopic data from a star which will provide loads more elements in clouds. Absorption spectrum is used commonly for Nebula.

Unless you have a way of measuring this then the best way is to get data from scientific data already available to the public.

Take a look at the Radio/Spectrography section for more information. I don't know where i can get the data, but think someone else would be in a better position to tell.