Astronomy and Electromagnetic Radiation

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Electromagnetic radiation

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A kind of radiation including visible light, radio waves, gamma rays, and X-rays, in which electric and magnetic fields vary simultaneously.

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Gamma rays

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Electromagnetic waves with the shortest wavelengths and highest frequencies; high energy.

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X-rays

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Electromagnetic waves with wavelengths shorter than ultraviolet rays, but longer than gamma rays; high energy.

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Ultraviolet (UV)

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Radiation in the region of the electromagnetic spectrum between the visible and the x-ray regions; used to sterilize medical equipment; can harm eyes.

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Visible light

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Wavelengths between 400-700 nm; humans can see it; shorter than infrared, longer than UV.

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Infrared

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Light waves that are longer than visible light, but shorter than microwaves; described as heat radiation; some reptiles can see it; Webb Telescope uses it.

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Microwave radiation

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Shorter than radio, longer than infrared; the radiation left over from the original universal expansion ('Big Bang') is in this range.

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Radio waves

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Telescopes for these waves look like giant satellite dishes; groups of them are called arrays; the FAST telescope in China uses these, as did the Arecibo telescope in Puerto Rico.

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Refractor telescope

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A telescope that uses a convex lens to concentrate light from distant objects.

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Reflector telescope

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A telescope that uses a curved mirror to gather and focus light from distant objects.