UV astronomy throughout the ages: a historical perspective

Astronomers have long recognized the critical need for ultraviolet imaging, photometry and spectroscopy of stars, planets, and galaxies, but this need could not be satisfied without access to space and the development of efficient instrumentation. When UV measurements became feasible, first with roc...

Full description

Saved in:
Bibliographic Details
Published in:Astrophysics and space science 2018-05, Vol.363 (5), p.1-24, Article 101
Main Author: Linsky, Jeffrey L.
Format: Article
Language:English
Subjects:
Astrobiology
Astronomical instruments
Astronomy
Astrophysics
Astrophysics and Astroparticles
Celestial bodies
Cosmology
Galaxies
Instrumentation
Instruments
Interstellar
Observations and Techniques
Photometry
Physics
Physics and Astronomy
Planets
Review Article
Satellites
Solar system
Solar system research
Space Exploration and Astronautics
Space Sciences (including Extraterrestrial Physics
Spectral resolution
Spectral sensitivity
Spectroscopy
Spectrum analysis
the Needs and the Means
Ultraviolet astronomy
Ultraviolet spectroscopy
UV Surveys
Citations: Items that this one cites
Items that cite this one
Online Access:Get full text
Tags: Add Tag
No Tags, Be the first to tag this record!
Description
Summary:Astronomers have long recognized the critical need for ultraviolet imaging, photometry and spectroscopy of stars, planets, and galaxies, but this need could not be satisfied without access to space and the development of efficient instrumentation. When UV measurements became feasible, first with rockets and then with satellites, major discoveries came rapidly. It is true in the UV spectral region as in all others, that significant increases in sensitivity, spectral resolution, and time domain coverage have led to significant new understanding of astrophysical phenomena. I will describe a selection of these discoveries made in each of three eras: (1) the early history of rocket instrumentation and Copernicus, the first UV satellite, (2) the discovery phase pioneered by the IUE, FUSE and EUVE satellites, and (3) the full flowering of UV astronomy with the successful operation of HST and its many instruments. I will also mention a few areas where future UV instrumentation could lead to new discoveries. This review concentrates on developments in stellar and interstellar UV spectroscopy; the major discoveries in galactic, extragalactic, and solar system research are beyond the scope of this review. The important topic of UV technologies and detectors, which enable the remarkable advances in UV astronomy are also not included in this review.
ISSN:0004-640X
1572-946X
DOI:10.1007/s10509-018-3319-9