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OBSERVING THE UNIVERSE
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 Unlike chemistry, physics, or biology, astronomy is not a hands-on science – astronomers cannot experiment on the objects they study. Space probes sent to other worlds have changed this a little, but stars and galaxies are so far away that, for the most part, experienced astronomers continue to observe at a distance. Today’s technology, however, has improved the method of observing greatly. Once restricted to logging the light coming from celestial objects, astronomers can now tune into everything from radio waves to gamma rays – which all unveil what is happening in the cosmos. Electronics and computers have also revolutionized the set of data and its analysis, meaning that astronomers have more information at their fingertips about the Universe than ever before.