Infrared thermometers here, infrared thermometers there. Under the pandemic, infrared thermometers are everywhere. Besides measuring temperature, can you think of other uses of infrared? Actually, infrared is important in astronomy!

Astronomers use infrared telescopes and detectors to observe the infrared Universe that is invisible to human eyes which can only see visible light. That "invisible" Universe includes some relatively cold and dim celestial objects and protostars situated in dense gas and dust. Moreover, infrared astronomy can help us study the young Universe and shed some light on other mysterious.

What infrared telescopes are out there? Some of the observatories on Mauna Kea in Hawaii and the Atacama Large Millimeter/submillimeter Array (ALMA) in Chile can detect infrared. As water vapour in the Earth's atmosphere absorbs infrared, infrared telescopes are located in high altitudes and dry places. In fact, it is better to launch telescopes into space so they are not affected by the atmosphere like on the ground. Spitzer Space Telescope and the to-be-launched James Webb Space Telescope are infrared space telescopes.

Are you ready to be on the astronomers' track and use infrared to explore the origin of the Universe?