E-M Radiation

The Electromagnetic Spectrum

Can you see me now?

Each wavelength of electro-magnetic radiation (light) brings us unique information. Almost everything we know about the Universe comes from the study of the electromagnetic radiation emitted or reflected by objects in space. Objects in space send out electromagnetic radiation at all wavelengths - from gamma rays to radio waves.

The electromagnetic spectrum can be expressed in different terms, or units: Energy is measured in electron volts (eV). Frequency is measured in cycles per second (Hertz or Hz or kHz), Wavelength is measured in meters (m) or nanometers (nm).

Radio Waves
Have the longest wavelengths. These waves can be as long as a mile. These are the same waves that carry signals for your television and cellular phones.

How do we "see" using Radio Waves?

Radio telescopes: telescopes:
dishes made out of a conducting metal reflect radio waves to a focus point. are much, much larger than an optical telescope. are often combined into an array. often act together as one large telescope.

The Very Large Array (VLA), in New Mexico. 27, 81 ft diameter, radio telescopes work together.

The Arecibo site in Puerto Rico is embedded in limestone in the jungle. The dish is over 1000 ft wide and uses the rotation of the Earth to examine space.

The Sun in radio waves

How do we "see" using Microwaves?

The Wilkinson Microwave Anisotropy Probe (WMAP) Cosmic Background Explorer (COBE)

Microwaves in Space

The Sun in Microwave

If you This had Cosmic a very sensitive Background microwave Explorer telescope (COBE) in your image house isyou of the could cosmic detect faint signals microwave coming background from all directions. of the visible universe. The pink and blue This is the Cosmic Microwave colors show tiny fluctuations. Background!

Infrared
Infrared light is between visible light and microwave.

The Sun in Infrared Light

Two categories: Far infrared" waves are thermal and are closer to the microwave region of the electromagnetic spectrum. "Near infrared" wavelengths are closer to visible light and are not hot at all.

The Orion constellation as seen in visible light and IR.

Visible Light Waves

ROY G BIV
(Photos courtesy of JPLs Herschel Space Observatory Website)

The Sun in Visible Light

White light (unfiltered)

Ultraviolet Waves
Ultraviolet (UV) light waves are shorter visible light. UV is divided into three regions: near ultraviolet far ultraviolet, and extreme ultraviolet

Ca-K light (filtered)

Three galaxies images in both visible and ultraviolet light.

The Sun in Extreme Ultraviolet Light

NASA's Ultraviolet Imaging Telescope.

Sun in UV radiation.

Sun in extreme UV.

X-rays
Earth's atmosphere is so thick XX-rays cannot penetrate it. X-ray telescopes are mounted on satellites in space. They are used to view high energy substances like black holes, supernovas, and more.

This is a photo of the Sun's X-ray radiation.

The Sun in X-Rays

Gamma-rays
Gamma-rays are the most energetic. They are produced by the hottest regions of the universe.

The high-energy gamma photons pass right through normal telescope devices. Gamma-ray telescopes map the energy path when a gamma-ray strikes an electron and loses energy. A computer processed image of the Crab Nebula in the "light" of gamma-rays. The Crab nebula was created by a supernova that brightened the night sky in 1054 A.D.

Sun in Gamma

X-Ray

Ultraviolet

Visible: DSS

Visible: Color
VLT

NearNear-Infrared

MidMid-Infrared

FarFar-Infrared

Radio

Why Do We Have to Go to Space to See All of the Electromagnetic Spectrum?

Atmospheric interference!