optical astronomy meaning (informal): definition, quotations

optical astronomy

noun

Informal Astronomy using observations using telescopes and recording media that capture visible light.

Radio astronomy is an extension of optical astronomy in that it allows the observer to "see radiations of wave lengths far greater than those of visible light1958 September 28, “Radio to Extend Astronomy's Ears”, in New York Times:
Merely finding them in the first place — detecting their radio voices and photographing their odd and telltale light — was a cooperative triumph of radio and optical astronomy.1966 March 11, “The Man on the Mountain”, in Time Magazine:

2 more examples

Since for the atmospheric windows in the NIR one normally uses the same telescopes as for optical astronomy, we will thus not distinguish between these2006, Peter Schneider, Extragalactic astronomy and cosmology, page 25:
Because each kind of light reveals different natural phenomena, we see only a part of nature. The same is true of telescopes. Optical telescopes detect only visible light. ... Dust is the bane of optical astronomy.2009 June 16, “Cosmic vision”, in Frontline:

Astronomy, Natural sciences Astronomy using infrared, visible, and/or ultraviolet wavelengths.