Question

How does an infrared telescope work and what are some advantages and disadvantages?

Answer 1

Hint: You could first explain how these IR telescopes are different from other optical telescopes. Then you could explain its working. You could then include what makes advantageous over other telescopes. You could also give some of the disadvantages that the IR telescopes pose.

Complete answer:
In the question, we are asked to describe the working of an infrared telescope and then we are also required to list out the advantages and disadvantages.
As a matter fact, infrared telescopes are no different from the visible light telescopes. The components that they are made of and the principles that they follow are all the same. Their working goes like this. There would be a combination of lenses and mirrors that are used to gather and focus the radiation onto detectors. The data so collected are then fed into computers where it is translated accordingly into useful information. A collection of specialized solid state devices are commonly called detectors. The Spitzer space telescope is an example.
Advantages:
They are ideal for detecting objects that are too cool and hence too faint to be observed under visible light. For example, they can detect certain planets, some of the nebulae and even the brown dwarf stars. The IR is known for ability to pass through astronomical gas and dust without getting scattered which is a perk of having longer wavelengths. Due to this very characteristic, the objects and areas obscured from view in the visible spectrum is observed in the infrared.
Disadvantages:
Earth’s atmosphere contains water vapor that absorbs most of the IR which makes it necessary for the ground based IR telescopes to be kept at very high altitudes which is a cumbersome process. Even at that altitude, atmospheric effects aren’t eliminated completely. But the space-based telescopes are helpful there. But no technology comes at low cost and that’s why the space based telescopes are low in number compared to ground based telescopes.

Note:
Near earth objects that are the NEOs can be detected by the spaced telescopes that work at low temperatures in the mid infrared region. The cooled IR telescopes have this spectacular sensitivity which is very well known and proven. IR observations are ideal for the estimation of asteroid diameters.