Astronomers use various types of equipment based on the portion of the E-M Band to be observed. Telescopes and radio dishes are used from the surface of the Earth to study visible light, near infrared light, and radio waves.

Attached to these telescopes are various tools like special made CCD cameras, a wide variety of filters, photometers and spectrometers. These various instruments are designed to record what we normally cannot see with our eyes.

From space, astronomers use special telescopes to study X-ray and gamma ray emissions. In addition, space based telescopes like the Hubble Space Telescope can peer deep into the Universe without atmospheric interference.

Other specialized instruments are also finding their way into main stream astronomy, like neutrino detectors deep underground and gravity wave detectors.

Telescopes and radio dishes are also pairing up to create interferometers to increase the resolution capabilities. Radio dishes are often found as members of a group like the VLA in Socorro, New Mexico.

The following sections will look into the more common pieces of equipment used today to gather valuable data.

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