Beyond Astronomy: General Astronomy Fields (and sub-fields)
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Astronomy is a huge area of study which encompasses many sub-fields of study. Professional astronomers usually specialize in one or two sub-fields. On this page I will attempt a brief explanation of the different fields within modern astronomy.
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Observational astronomy: When one is describing observational astronomy they must keep in mind what this actually means. Astronomers gather data from light, be-it from the visible spectrum or the other areas of electromagnetic radiation.
Radio astronomy: Radio astronomers study radiation with wavelengths greater than one millimeter. The waves a radio astronomer studies are viewed as waves and not photons. The major benefit of this is that it is easier to measure both the amplitude and phase of radio waves. This is not as simple when done at shorter wavelengths.
Optical astronomy: Optical astronomy is also called visible light astronomy. this is the oldest of astronomical fields of study. Originally optical images were drawn by hand, for instance, Galileo drew what he saw on the moon and Jupiter. Thankfully in our modern times we have equipment that can easily see not only the observable objects but also the wavelengths near-ultraviolet and near-infrared radiation.
Ultraviolet astronomy: Astronomers that work in this area of study focus on observations at ultraviolet wavelengths between approximately 100 and 3200 Å (10 to 320 nm). The Earth's atmosphere generally absorbs light at these wavelengths so to properly observe what is happening at these wavelengths one must start from our upper atmosphere or even outer-space, Hubble anyone!
X-ray astronomy: This field focuses on the study of astronomical objects at X-ray wavelengths. This includes (but is not limited by) X-ray binaries, pulsars, supernova remnants, elliptical galaxies and clusters of galaxies.
Gamma-ray astronomy: This field focuses on objects at the shortest wavelengths of the electromagnetic spectrum. Gamma rays can be observed by ground-based telescopes. The most notable gamma-ray emitters include pulsars, neutron stars, and black hole candidates such as active galactic nuclei.
