Visible-light astronomy
Encyclopedia
Visible-light astronomy encompasses a wide variety of observation
s via telescope
s that are sensitive in the range of visible light (optical telescope
s). It includes imaging, where a picture of some sort is made of the object; photometry
, where the amount of light coming from an object is measured, spectroscopy
, where the distribution of that light with respect to its wavelength
is measured, and polarimetry
where the polarisation state of that light is measured.
An example of spectroscopy
is the study of spectral line
s to understand of what kind of matter
light is going through. Visible astronomy also includes looking up at night (skygazing).
Visible-light astronomy is part of optical astronomy.
Observation
Observation is either an activity of a living being, such as a human, consisting of receiving knowledge of the outside world through the senses, or the recording of data using scientific instruments. The term may also refer to any data collected during this activity...
s via telescope
Telescope
A telescope is an instrument that aids in the observation of remote objects by collecting electromagnetic radiation . The first known practical telescopes were invented in the Netherlands at the beginning of the 1600s , using glass lenses...
s that are sensitive in the range of visible light (optical telescope
Optical telescope
An optical telescope is a telescope which is used to gather and focus light mainly from the visible part of the electromagnetic spectrum for directly viewing a magnified image for making a photograph, or collecting data through electronic image sensors....
s). It includes imaging, where a picture of some sort is made of the object; photometry
Photometry (astronomy)
Photometry is a technique of astronomy concerned with measuring the flux, or intensity of an astronomical object's electromagnetic radiation...
, where the amount of light coming from an object is measured, spectroscopy
Spectroscopy
Spectroscopy is the study of the interaction between matter and radiated energy. Historically, spectroscopy originated through the study of visible light dispersed according to its wavelength, e.g., by a prism. Later the concept was expanded greatly to comprise any interaction with radiative...
, where the distribution of that light with respect to its wavelength
Wavelength
In physics, the wavelength of a sinusoidal wave is the spatial period of the wave—the distance over which the wave's shape repeats.It is usually determined by considering the distance between consecutive corresponding points of the same phase, such as crests, troughs, or zero crossings, and is a...
is measured, and polarimetry
Polarimetry
Polarimetry is the measurement and interpretation of the polarization of transverse waves, most notably electromagnetic waves, such as radio or light waves...
where the polarisation state of that light is measured.
An example of spectroscopy
Spectroscopy
Spectroscopy is the study of the interaction between matter and radiated energy. Historically, spectroscopy originated through the study of visible light dispersed according to its wavelength, e.g., by a prism. Later the concept was expanded greatly to comprise any interaction with radiative...
is the study of spectral line
Spectral line
A spectral line is a dark or bright line in an otherwise uniform and continuous spectrum, resulting from a deficiency or excess of photons in a narrow frequency range, compared with the nearby frequencies.- Types of line spectra :...
s to understand of what kind of matter
Matter
Matter is a general term for the substance of which all physical objects consist. Typically, matter includes atoms and other particles which have mass. A common way of defining matter is as anything that has mass and occupies volume...
light is going through. Visible astronomy also includes looking up at night (skygazing).
Visible-light astronomy is part of optical astronomy.