The light from celestial bodies that we see with our naked eyes is just a small part of the electromagnetic waves they emit. X-rays, gamma rays, and some ultraviolet, infrared, and radio waves from distant celestial bodies are absorbed by the atmosphere before reaching the ground. If astronomers want to observe these electromagnetic waves emitted by celestial bodies, they have to send telescopes into space. How can we send telescopes into space, and at what altitude is it appropriate? This depends on the electromagnetic wave band we want to observe. If we want to observe infrared light, we can use airplanes or balloons to carry telescopes. This is because water vapor, which absorbs infrared light, is mainly concentrated in the lower atmosphere. If we want to observe high-energy radiation such as X-rays and gamma rays, we need to use rockets to launch detectors into space. Of course, it would be even better to use satellites as platforms.
In addition to absorbing celestial light, atmospheric turbulence is also a major problem. Turbulent air is like boiling water, making the details of celestial objects blurry. To obtain higher resolution, in addition to using adaptive optics technology, we can also send optical telescopes into space. The famous Hubble Space Telescope mainly operates in the optical waveband, and it has captured many super-detailed and stunning photos of celestial objects for us. Currently, the successor to the Hubble Space Telescope, the James Webb Space Telescope, is under construction, and it is believed that larger-aperture space optical telescopes will surely bring us more surprises.