Program Guide & Resources: Electromagnetic Spectrum

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Astronomers learn about space objects by gathering and analyzing the light coming from them. Since there is more than one type light, observations of multiple types of light from an object —multiwavelength observations — are key to understanding the object in depth. With these program resources, participants will learn that:

The electromagnetic spectrum includes all types of light.
Human eyes perceive visible light, which is only a small part of the electromagnetic spectrum.
Objects in space may look different depending on the type of light that is being observed, providing insight into their nature.
Different telescopes are used to observe different types of light from space.