Page 31 - Life beyond the Karman

Astronomical observatory
An observatory is a structure designed for observing, or studying, natural objects and events on Earth or in space. It contains telescopes and auxiliary instruments with which to observe celestial objects. Scientists use this type of observatory to gather information about stars, planets, comets, and other things outside Earth’s atmosphere.
Observatories can be classified on the basis of the part of the electromagnetic spectrum which they are designed to observe.
The largest number of observatories are optical; i.e., they are equipped to observe in and near the region of the spectrum visible to the human eye. Others aim to detect cosmic emitters of radio waves, while yet others called satellite observatories are Earth satellites that carry special telescopes and detectors to study celestial sources of forms of high-energy radiation such as gamma rays and X-rays from high above the atmosphere.
Basic characteristics of an astronomical observatory site
Any site with low artificial light; a cloud-free night sky; good astronomical seeing; and an environment with minimal water vapour, haze, fog and particle scattering can be considered for optical-astronomical study. However, several other factors need to be taken into account, including climatology, geography, geology and social aspects.
Key factors in selecting a site for an astronomy observatory:
• Photometric Night Fraction •
• Night-Sky Brightness •
• Terrain Slope •
Telescopes
Altitude
Sky Transparency
Seismic Vulnerability
• Land Use/Land Cover
• Wind Speed
• Accessibility
A telescope is a device used to observe distant objects by their emission, absorption, or reflection of electromagnetic radiation. Originally meaning only an optical instrument using lenses, curved mirrors, or a combination of both to observe distant objects, the word telescope now refers to a wide range of instruments capable of detecting different regions of the electromagnetic spectrum, and in some cases other types of detectors.
James Webb Space Telescope
LIFE BEYOND THE KÁRMÁN LINE - OUTER SPACE
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