Understand how the electromagnetic spectrum helps study the celestial bodies
Astronomers use the electromagnetic spectrum to study different aspects of the Milky Way.
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News •
The fastest arms race is happening in the electromagnetic spectrum
• Oct. 24, 2026, 9:49 PM ET (Jerusalem Post)
Transcript
[Music in]
NARRATOR: Our eyes can perceive the light emitted by celestial bodies. The Milky Way, for example, looks like a milky band crossing the night sky. Telescopes at astronomical observatories capture this light even better, providing a clearer picture of our galaxy. But visible light is just one small part of the radiation emitted by celestial bodies.
These rays, also called electromagnetic waves, can be classified according to their wavelength. They make up the electromagnetic spectrum. Each type of wave gives a particular portrayal of the Milky Way. Radio waves undulate slowly. Their wavelength, or the distance between two crests of a wave, is very long. They are the only waves besides visible light to reach Earth's surface. Picked up by radio telescopes, they reveal the existence of a pulsar in the Cassiopeia constellation. Microwaves, which have a slightly shorter wavelength, make possible very accurate measurement of temperature variations in the universe. Infrared waves show the heat emitted by celestial bodies. The wavelength of infrared radiation is longer than that of visible light. Ultraviolet rays, on the other hand, have a shorter wavelength. They are used to study hot stars. X-rays can detect the presence of interstellar gas clouds. Finally, gamma rays undulate the most quickly. They show areas where large quantities of energy are released.
Every day, sudden, intense bursts of gamma rays are detected in the universe, but no way has yet been found to explain this phenomenon.
[Music out]
NARRATOR: Our eyes can perceive the light emitted by celestial bodies. The Milky Way, for example, looks like a milky band crossing the night sky. Telescopes at astronomical observatories capture this light even better, providing a clearer picture of our galaxy. But visible light is just one small part of the radiation emitted by celestial bodies.
These rays, also called electromagnetic waves, can be classified according to their wavelength. They make up the electromagnetic spectrum. Each type of wave gives a particular portrayal of the Milky Way. Radio waves undulate slowly. Their wavelength, or the distance between two crests of a wave, is very long. They are the only waves besides visible light to reach Earth's surface. Picked up by radio telescopes, they reveal the existence of a pulsar in the Cassiopeia constellation. Microwaves, which have a slightly shorter wavelength, make possible very accurate measurement of temperature variations in the universe. Infrared waves show the heat emitted by celestial bodies. The wavelength of infrared radiation is longer than that of visible light. Ultraviolet rays, on the other hand, have a shorter wavelength. They are used to study hot stars. X-rays can detect the presence of interstellar gas clouds. Finally, gamma rays undulate the most quickly. They show areas where large quantities of energy are released.
Every day, sudden, intense bursts of gamma rays are detected in the universe, but no way has yet been found to explain this phenomenon.
[Music out]
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