Seeing the Universe

Put all these wavelengths together...

optical and x-ray...

...optical and radio...

 

And then you can begin to figure out what makes Centaurus tick.

Any one wavelength would be insufficient to reveal the universe's secrets, such as places where supermassive black holes power vast jets of energy and, in earlier times, the geysers of radiation known as "quasars."

 

WANT TO LEARN MORE?

Electromagnetic Spectrum
The electromagnetic spectrum explained in simple terms using real-life examples.

Imagine the Universe
An introduction on the electromagnetic spectrum including why we need to go into space to see the entire spectrum.

Electromagnetic Spectrum
This site explains each type of electromagnetic radiation, its uses and the dangers from too much exposure to the radiation.

Interactive Multimedia Adventures for Grade-school Education Using Remote Sensing (IMAGERS)
A simple explanation of electromagnetic radiation including each type of radiation, how we "see" using that type of radiation and what that type of radiation shows us.

NASA's Observatorium
An introduction to the electromagnetic spectrum.

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