Myth vs Reality: Seeing Galaxies

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 This short video addresses the misconception that you can only see galaxies in visual light.

Galaxy Evolution
 
 
Produced by the Space Telescope Science Institute’s Office of Public Outreach
 
All images, illustrations, and videos courtesy of NASA except:
 
·       Milky Way panorama courtesy of ESO/S. Brunier
·       Taurus constellation drawing from Firmamentum Sobiescianum sive Uranographia by Johannes Hevelius, courtesy of the United States Naval Observatory
·       Andromeda Galaxy image courtesy of Bill Schoening, Vanessa Harvey/REU program/NOAO/AURA/NSF
·       Redshift animation courtesy of ESO
·       Centaurus A visible-light images courtesy of ESO
 
 
Written by Tracy Vogel
Designed by Marc Lussier
Music courtesy of Associated Production Music

(SPEECH) 
 [ELECTRONIC MUSIC] 

(DESCRIPTION) 
 Top left, a black and white picture of a minotaur. Top right, a color picture of a galaxy. 

Text, MYTH versus REALITY 

Myth side 

Text, Galaxies shine only in visible light. 

Reality side 

Text, Galaxies emit different types of radiation. Most types of light are invisible to us. Detecting other types of radiation, such as infrared light, X-rays, and ultraviolet light, provides more information and allows us to better understand what is happening inside galaxies.