Wavelengths

There are wavelengths of light that the human eye cannot perceive.

When an object moves away from Earth, the light that it is giving off is seen in longer wavelengths. When an object moves toward Earth, the light that it is giving off is seen in shorter wavelengths.

The Infrared Astronomical Satellite's mission was to map the entire sky at infrared wavelengths. It was equipped with a special infrared telescope to scan the sky.

While surveying the sky in microwave wavelengths, COBE has transmitted evidence which supports the Big Bang Theory of the creation of the universe.

Hubble’s suite of instruments also allows the observatory to record wavelengths of light not just in the visible range but in ultraviolet and near-infrared wavelengths (which are not visible to our eyes).

An iceberg looks white because compressed snow on its surface contains large numbers of tiny air bubbles and crystal edges that equally reflect all wavelengths of visible light.

When light encounters the dense, compressed ice, the ice absorbs longer wavelengths of colors, such as red and yellow, but colors of shorter wavelengths, like green and blue, are reflected. This is what gives some icebergs their remarkable colors.

Unencumbered by Earth's blurring atmosphere, the space observatory unveils the universe in unprecedented crystal-clear sharpness across a broad range of wavelengths, from ultraviolet to near-infrared light.

The electromagnetic spectrum is the range of energy waves of various wavelengths—from the very short gamma and X-rays, through longer ultraviolet, visible, and infrared light, to microwaves and very long radio waves.

Satellite instruments measure light emitted or reflected back to space at different wavelengths and create spectral reflectance curves.