With a revolutionary instrument cube that allows for the simultaneous attachment of five instruments, the LDT has been called “the Swiss Army Knife of Telescopes.” Lowell Observatory solely owns and operates the telescope, and has formed scientific partnerships that grant access to scientists from Boston University, the University of Maryland, the University of Toledo, Yale University, and Northern Arizona University. Objects emitting ultraviolet radiation include the Sun, other stars and galaxies.The 4.3-meter Lowell Discovery Telescope (LDT), formerly called the Discovery Channel Telescope (DCT), is one of the most versatile telescopes in the world. Light at these wavelengths is absorbed by the Earth's atmosphere, so observations at these wavelengths must be performed from the upper atmosphere or from space. Ultraviolet telescopes make observations at ultraviolet wavelengths, i.e. Neutron Star Interior Composition Explorer (NICER)įurther information: Ultraviolet astronomy Nuclear Spectroscopic Telescope Array (NuSTAR) A combination of many unresolved X-ray sources is thought to produce the observed X-ray background.ġst High Energy Astronomy Observatory (HEAO 1)ģrd High Energy Astronomy Observatory (HEAO 3)Īdvanced Satellite for Cosmology and Astrophysics (ASCA, Astro-D)Īrray of Low Energy X-ray Imaging Sensors (Alexis)Ī Broadband Imaging X-ray All-sky Survey (ABRIXAS) Some Solar System bodies emit X-rays, the most notable being the Moon, although most of the X-ray brightness of the Moon arises from reflected solar X-rays. Several types of astrophysical objects emit X-rays, from galaxy clusters, through black holes in active galactic nuclei to galactic objects such as supernova remnants, stars, and binary stars containing a white dwarf ( cataclysmic variable stars), neutron star or black hole ( X-ray binaries). These can not travel a long distance through the atmosphere, meaning that they can only be observed high in the atmosphere or in space. X-ray telescopes measure high-energy photons called X-rays. International Gamma Ray Astrophysics Laboratory (INTEGRAL)Īstrorivelatore Gamma ad Immagini LEggero (AGILE) High Energy Transient Explorer 2 (HETE 2) Photoģrd High Energy Astronomy Observatory ( HEAO 3) Gamma ray bursts, with extremely high energies, have also been detected but have yet to be identified. Gamma rays can be generated by supernovae, neutron stars, pulsars and black holes. These are absorbed by the atmosphere, requiring that observations are done by high-altitude balloons or space missions. Gamma ray telescopes collect and measure individual, high energy gamma rays from astrophysical sources. For telescopes in solar orbit, the minimum distance ( periapsis) and the maximum distance ( apoapsis) between the telescope and the center of mass of the sun are given in astronomical units (AU). For telescopes in Earth orbit, the min and max altitude are given in kilometers. Two values are provided for the dimensions of the initial orbit. the Sun and its planets), are excluded see List of Solar System probes for these, and List of Earth observation satellites for missions targeting Earth. Missions with specific targets within the Solar System (e.g. Space telescopes that collect particles, such as cosmic ray nuclei and/or electrons, as well as instruments that aim to detect gravitational waves, are also listed. Telescopes that work in multiple frequency bands are included in all of the appropriate sections. This list of space telescopes ( astronomical space observatories) is grouped by major frequency ranges: gamma ray, x-ray, ultraviolet, visible, infrared, microwave and radio. The Hubble Space Telescope Comparison between many space telescopes by diameter Overview of active and future telescopes