In 2-3 sentences, explain an example in which electromagnetic radiation other than visible light can be used to show us more about an object than visible light alone. Hint: Consider some of the examples that were provided within this unit on The Universe that emit other types of radiation besides visible light waves.

1 answer

One example is X-ray astronomy, which utilizes X-rays emitted by high-energy phenomena such as black holes and neutron stars. These objects can be obscured or not visible in the optical spectrum, but their intense X-ray emissions reveal information about their temperature, density, and composition, providing insights into the behavior of extreme astrophysical environments that visible light alone cannot capture.