close window

Questions for Discussion: Astronomical Images in Different Wavelengths

Describe the similarities and differences between different pictures of the same object. Based on what you know about the electromagnetic spectrum, provide an explanation for these similarities and differences.
Why are some telescopes used on Earth while others are launched into orbit above Earth's atmosphere?
Why is it that we are looking at images that are described as having taken place hundreds or thousands of years ago?
What information can be obtained from a conventional photograph of a human body that cannot be obtained from an X-ray, a thermograph -- an image taken with an infrared camera that records temperature variations on the surface of the body, and a magnetic resonance image (MRI) -- an image of internal organs and soft tissues produced with magnetic fields and radio waves. What does the X-ray tell that the photograph and other images do not?
Are the images of the human body described above a useful analogy for someone learning to understand why it's helpful to create different kinds of images of objects in space? Why or why not?