What is Infrared telescope?
[[File:36 Inch Airborne Infrared Telescope (6996884880).jpg|thumb|right|200px|{{Center|36 Inch Airborne Infrared Telescope}}]] An '''infrared telescope''' is a [[telescope]] that detects [[infrared]] radiation ([[heat energy]]). All objects in the [[universe]] that have a [[temperature]] above [[absolute zero]] give off some form of [[electromagnetic radiation]].<ref>[http://www.jpl.nasa.gov/news/press_kits/sirtflaunch.pdf Space Observatory to Study the Far, the Cold and the Dusty], NASA press kit, 2003</ref> Infrared light is one of several types of radiation present in the [[electromagnetic spectrum]]. [[Astronomer]]s use several different types of telescopes to detect different types of emitted radiation in the [[electromagnetic spectrum]]. Some of these are [[gamma ray]], [[x-ray]], [[ultra-violet]], regular [[visible light]] (optical), as well as infrared telescopes. Ground-based infrared telescopes are affected by [[Atmosphere of Earth|Earth's atmosphere]].<ref name=SD>{{cite web |url=http://www.spacetoday.org/DeepSpace/Telescopes/Telescopes.html |title=Telescopes for Deep Space Astronomy |author=<!--Staff writer(s); no by-line.--> |date=2004 |website= |publisher=Space Today Online |accessdate=3 January 2015}}</ref> They work best in the shorter part of the infrared, a micrometer or two. An infrared telescope in [[outer space]] such as the [[James Webb Space Telescope]] or above the [[cloud]]s ([[water vapor]]) can see more help, especially for longer [[wavelengths]] (several micrometers) which cooler objects emit. Examples would be [[asteroid]]s and [[interstellar cloud]]s.<ref>''Encyclopedia of the Solar System'', eds. Tilman Spohn; Doris Breuer; Torrence Johnson (Amsterdam: Elsevier, 2014), p. 1083</ref> == References == {{commons}} {{Reflist}} [[Category:Telescopes]] [[Category:Infrared]] {{tech-stub}}