Observing a Body at z=6: Calculating Photon Requirements

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Discussion Overview

The discussion revolves around the question of how many photons are required to observe a body at redshift z=6, exploring the implications for observational astronomy and spectroscopy.

Discussion Character

  • Exploratory, Technical explanation, Debate/contested

Main Points Raised

  • One participant asks for clarification on whether the inquiry is about the number of photons needed for detection or for measuring redshift.
  • Another participant suggests that the number of photons required for observation is influenced by various factors including the instrument used, background and foreground light, the object's color, and the frequency of observation.
  • A later reply provides a link to an example, indicating that specific cases may illustrate the discussion but does not elaborate on the content of the example.

Areas of Agreement / Disagreement

Participants do not reach a consensus on the specifics of the question, and multiple interpretations of the inquiry remain. The discussion reflects differing views on the factors influencing photon requirements.

Contextual Notes

The discussion lacks specific assumptions about the observational context, such as the type of instrument or observational conditions, which may affect the number of photons needed.

wolram
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How many photons are needed to (obsreve) a body at z=6 ?
 
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Do you mean how many photons must be detected to observe a body at z=6? Or do you mean how many photons are needed to measure the redshift of a body at z=6?
 
The number of photons needed to observe an object (spectroscopically or otherwise) depends not on its redshift, but on the instrument used, the backgrounds and foregrounds, the object's color, the frequency of observation, etc. You'll need to be more specific.
 
This would be an example.


http://www.citebase.org/cgi-bin/citations?id=oai:arXiv.org:astro-ph/0303424
 
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