Why Do We Have to Go to Space to See All of the Electromagnetic Spectrum?

Electromagnetic spectrum

While all electromagnetic waves travel at the same speed (i.e., velocity 'c' is constant), the type of their radiation differs in the duration of wavelength and consequently their frequencies.

An electromagnetic radiation with a long wavelength will have a low frequency and vice versa.

'The arrangement of different types of electromagnetic radiations in order of increasing wavelengths (and consequently decreasing frequencies) is known as electromagnetic spectrum'.

The different types of radiations arranged in an electromagnetic spectrum are: Cosmic rays, gamma rays, X-rays, ultra-violet rays, visible radiations, infrared radiations, micro waves and radio waves.

Electromagnetic radiation from space is unable to reach the surface of the Earth except at a very few wavelengths, such as the visible spectrum, radio frequencies, and some ultraviolet wavelengths. Astronomers can get above enough of the Earth's atmosphere to observe at some infrared wavelengths from mountain tops or by flying their telescopes in an aircraft. Experiments can also be taken up to altitudes as high as 35 km by balloons which can operate for months. Rocket flights can take instruments all the way above the Earth's atmosphere for just a few minutes before they fall back to Earth, but a great many important first results in astronomy and astrophysics came from just those few minutes of observations. For long-term observations, however, it is best to have your detector on an orbiting satellite ... and get below it all!