Question

‘Chandra’ is a telescope operating in space to unveil the secrets of the universe.
(a) Write the type of radiation that ‘Chandra’ picks up to study the universe.
(b) What are the advantages of setting up a telescope outside the earth’s atmosphere?

Answer 1

Hint:- This is a question related to optical instruments that are used to observe distant or nearest objects by their interaction with electromagnetic radiations. So here we should focus on the frequency of electromagnetic radiation that can be easily analyzed by telescope.

Complete step by step answer:
A telescope is a combination of lenses and curved mirrors to observe distant objects by their emission, absorption, or reflection of electromagnetic radiation.

(a) As we know that X-rays point to some of the most energetic phenomena in our universe, such as stellar explosions, powerful outbursts and black holes devouring matter from their neighbourhoods. In the electromagnetic spectrum, from X-ray to gamma ray energies, the flux of X-ray photons is the most abundant. So X-ray astronomy can reveal the high energy events in the universe that can be observed with telescopes.

So ‘Chandra’ is an X-ray telescope operating in space. It picks up X-ray radiations and helps to study the universe.

(b) On setting up a telescope outside the Earth’s atmosphere, the effects of absorption and refraction of earth’s atmosphere can be eliminated. Thus, it helps in providing a clear observation of the universe. Also the Earth’s atmosphere absorbs many parts of the electromagnetic spectrum such as X-rays, infrared rays etc.

Note:- The scientific study of the universe is known as astronomy. The observations like pictures of planets, electromagnetic radiation from planets are taken by different kinds of telescopes and instruments. These observations are used to analyze the real phenomena of the universe.