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Observational astronomy
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=== Methods === In addition to using electromagnetic radiation, modern astrophysicists can also make observations using [[neutrino]]s, [[cosmic ray]]s or [[gravitational wave]]s. Observing a source using multiple methods is known as [[multi-messenger astronomy]]. [[File:La Silla Poses for an Ultra HD Shoot.jpg|thumb|250px|Ultra HD photography taken at [[La Silla Observatory]]<ref>{{cite news|title=La Silla Poses for an Ultra HD Shoot|url=http://www.eso.org/public/images/potw1415a/|access-date=16 April 2014|newspaper=ESO Picture of the Week}}</ref> ]] Optical and radio astronomy can be performed with ground-based observatories, because the atmosphere is relatively transparent at the wavelengths being detected. Observatories are usually located at high altitudes so as to minimise the absorption and distortion caused by the Earth's atmosphere. Some wavelengths of infrared light are heavily absorbed by [[water vapor]], so many infrared observatories are located in dry places at high altitude, or in space. The atmosphere is opaque at the wavelengths used by X-ray astronomy, gamma-ray astronomy, UV astronomy and (except for a few wavelength "windows") [[far infrared astronomy]], so observations must be carried out mostly from [[balloon]]s or space observatories. Powerful gamma rays can, however be detected by the large [[air shower (physics)|air shower]]s they produce, and the study of cosmic rays is a rapidly expanding branch of astronomy.
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