clouds without dust!

October 1, 2006 8:06 PM

The cloud chamber may no longer the particle detector of choice (that would be the bubble chamber) but easy to build yourself (in modern or vintage style) and watch cosmic rays in the comfort of your own home.
posted by jessamyn (12 comments total)

I recall building a cloud chamber as a kid - just for the fun of it, not even for a science project or anything. And I think bubble chambers are gorgeous things, as seen in that previous mefi post.

That said, bubble chambers themselves are gone and have been replaced by drift chambers.
posted by vacapinta at 8:51 PM on October 1, 2006

Unbelievable. I was just thinking earlier today that I want to build a cloud chamber (something I've wanted to do for about 30 years).

A couple of days ago I checked out A Thin Cosmic Rain from the library. I'm only 1/4 of the way through it, but I've read enough to recommend it.

Oh, and I have 25+ pages of how-to-build-a-cloud-chamber from Scientific American's Amateur Scientist from the olden days. I'll try to scan and post 'em tonight.
posted by neuron at 11:03 PM on October 1, 2006

That's pretty cool (excuse the pun) ... a much easier way to build a cloud chamber in your kitchen than the traditional piston type. You know, if you want to see what kinds of ionizing radiation your food is giving off.
posted by hattifattener at 11:04 PM on October 1, 2006

neuron: Is it an Amateur Scientist column? You can get the entire run of that column on CD now (or you can hunt down Stong's book, long out of print).
posted by hattifattener at 11:05 PM on October 1, 2006

There is a beautiful cloud chamber at the Exploratorium - I spent quite a while watching it last time I was there. I would really like to build one into a coffee table or something similar.
posted by pombe at 11:32 PM on October 1, 2006

neuron: Is it an Amateur Scientist column? You can get the entire run of that column on CD now (or you can hunt down Stong's book, long out of print).

It is the chapter from Stong's book. I've scanned the chapter and made a PDF, but it's turned out a little too big (26 MB) for my Comcast file storage thingy.
posted by neuron at 12:14 AM on October 2, 2006

Here it is, although I don't like hosting it there. For a limited time only.
posted by neuron at 12:37 AM on October 2, 2006

The NY Hall of Science has a cloud chamber exhibit. i believe it's one of these
posted by arialblack at 1:13 AM on October 2, 2006

Neuron:

Thankyou!
posted by claudius at 6:00 AM on October 2, 2006

That said, bubble chambers themselves are gone and have been replaced by drift chambers.

That's so 1980s. They has these newfangled Silicon Vertex Trackers now. (Although they are almost always used in conjuction with drift chambers).
posted by noble_rot at 11:11 AM on October 2, 2006

arialblack - it looks like the Exploratorium cloud chamber is also from Phywe. I wonder how much it would cost to buy one.
posted by pombe at 11:32 AM on October 2, 2006

Nice. Back in the (not so old) day, a number of my fellow undergraduates were lumbered with getting these things working as a final project. Various write-ups and things live here.
posted by Luddite at 6:21 AM on October 3, 2006