Cosmic Observatories

Discover the cutting-edge telescopes and technology revealing the secrets of the universe.

Articles by Cosmic Observatories

FAQs about Cosmic Observatories

A cosmic observatory is a facility or instrument, either on the ground or in space, designed to observe distant celestial objects. This includes optical telescopes, radio telescope arrays, and space telescopes that detect different forms of light.

Ground-based telescopes are located on Earth, often on high mountains with clear skies. Space-based telescopes, like the Hubble or James Webb Space Telescope (JWST), are placed in orbit above Earth's atmosphere, which allows them to get a clearer view of the universe without atmospheric distortion.

Celestial objects emit many different types of light (or electromagnetic radiation), such as visible light, radio waves, infrared, and X-rays. Different types of telescopes are needed to capture these different signals, each revealing unique information about the object being studied.

Each new generation of telescopes offers larger mirrors and more sensitive detectors, allowing scientists to see farther back in time, view fainter objects, and capture images with higher resolution. This consistently leads to groundbreaking discoveries about the universe.