optical astronomy

American  

noun

1. the branch of observational astronomy using telescopes to observe or photograph celestial objects in visible light.

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Other Word Forms

• optical astronomer
  noun

Etymology

Origin of optical astronomy

First recorded in 1965–70

Example Sentences

See Examples For:

optical astronomy

"For optical astronomy, this is an existential threat, and we hope that the regulators will share that view."

From Barron's ● Jul. 1, 2026

AST SpaceMobile CEO Abel Avellan has argued his fleet, which would pale in comparison with the tens of thousands of planned Starlink crafts, won’t interfere with optical astronomy.

From Science Magazine ● Nov. 13, 2022

Europe, in contrast, took the lead over the U.S. in ground-based optical astronomy years ago and is well into construction of an ELT of its own in Chile.

From Scientific American ● Aug. 18, 2021

This sky region was subsequently observed by optical astronomy facilities7, resulting in the identification8, 9, 10, 11, 12, 13 of an optical transient signal within about ten arcseconds of the galaxy NGC 4993.

From Nature ● Oct. 15, 2017

The exceedingly high magnifying powers employed by Herschel constituted a novelty in optical astronomy, to which he attached great importance.

From A Popular History of Astronomy During the Nineteenth Century Fourth Edition by Clerke, Agnes M. (Agnes Mary)