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The visible and near-infrared domain

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Observing Photons in Space

Part of the book series: ISSI Scientific Report Series ((ISSI,volume 9))

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Abstract

Space observations at visible and near-infrared wavelengths are free from the absorption, high foreground radiation and wavefront distortion caused by the Earth’s atmosphere. The absence of these effects in space permits observations of higher sensitivity and stability with better angular resolution and with a larger dynamic range than their counterparts from the ground. Observations from the Hubble Space Telescope, the ISO and Spitzer satellites and survey satellites such as IRAS are still unsurpassed by ground-based telescopes for their sensitivity, radiometric stability, angular resolution over large fields of view, dynamic range and complete spectral coverage. This chapter discusses the inherent limitations of ground-based astronomy that are overcome by space observations and lists some of the spacecraft that have demonstrated these advantages for scientific study.

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Author information

Authors and Affiliations

  1. The University of California, Oakland, CA, USA

    Steven V. W. Beckwith

Authors
  1. Steven V. W. Beckwith
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Editor information

Editors and Affiliations

  1. Paul Scherrer Institut, Villigen PSI, Switzerland

    Martin C. E. Huber , Anuschka Pauluhn  & Alex Zehnder ,  & 

  2. Mullard Space Science Lab, University College London, Dorking, Surrey, UK

    J. Len Culhane

  3. Nightsen, Inc., Tiverton, Rhode Island, USA

    J. Gethyn Timothy

  4. Max-Planck-Institut für Sonnensystemforschung, Katlenburg-Lindau, Germany

    Klaus Wilhelm

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Beckwith, S.V.W. (2013). The visible and near-infrared domain. In: Huber, M.C.E., Pauluhn, A., Culhane, J.L., Timothy, J.G., Wilhelm, K., Zehnder, A. (eds) Observing Photons in Space. ISSI Scientific Report Series, vol 9. Springer, New York, NY. https://doi.org/10.1007/978-1-4614-7804-1_6

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  • DOI: https://doi.org/10.1007/978-1-4614-7804-1_6

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  • Publisher Name: Springer, New York, NY

  • Print ISBN: 978-1-4614-7803-4

  • Online ISBN: 978-1-4614-7804-1

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