Radio vs. Optical Astronomy Radio astronomy studies astronomical objects at radio frequencies, rather than the optical frequencies associated with the common viewing telescope. The initial detection of radio waves from an astronomical object was made in the 1930s, so that much of radio astronomy is fairly new and offers many research opportunities. Both radio and optical frequencies are part of the wider electromagnetic spectrum of radiation. Other parts of the electromagnetic spectrum for astronomical objects are not necessarily observed from Earth because of atmospheric absorption. These other wavelengths can be studied from space-based telescopes. Like optical objects, radio-emitting sources exist in great variety: planets, stars, galaxies, as well as the cosmic microwave background radiation. Radio astronomy is conducted using large radio antennas referred to as radio telescopes. The SARA sections tabs on this page helps organize the different types of radio objects and how to observe them. A radio telescope has three basic parts: the antenna, the receiver, and the output display. There are many types of radio telescopes depending on the part of the radio frequency spectrum (band) being observed. The hertz (symbol Hz) is the unit of frequency in the International System of Units (SI). It is defined as one cycle per second. Read more at radio-astronomy.org/node/202
Posted on: Wed, 31 Dec 2014 03:04:12 +0000
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