Editing Bolometer (section)

== Applications in astronomy ==

While bolometers can be used to measure radiation of any frequency, for most [[wavelength]] ranges there are other methods of detection that are more sensitive. For [[submillimeter astronomy|sub-millimeter wavelengths]] through [[cosmic microwave background|millimeter wavelengths]] (from around 200&nbsp;μm to a few&nbsp;mm wavelength, also known as the far-[[infrared]], [[Terahertz radiation|terahertz]]) bolometers are among the most sensitive available detectors, and are therefore used for [[astronomy]] at these wavelengths. To achieve the best sensitivity, they must be cooled to a fraction of a degree above [[absolute zero]] (typically from 50&nbsp;mK to 300&nbsp;[[Millikelvin|mK]]<ref>{{cite book |last1=Sizov |first1=Fedir F. |title=Detectors and Sources for THz and IR |date=5 May 2020 |publisher=Materials Research Forum |location=Millersville, PA, USA |isbn=9781644900741 |page=185}}</ref>). Notable examples of bolometers employed in submillimeter astronomy include the [[Herschel Space Observatory]], the [[James Clerk Maxwell Telescope]], and the [[Stratospheric Observatory for Infrared Astronomy]] (SOFIA). Recent examples of bolometers employed in millimeter-wavelength astronomy are [[Atacama Cosmology Telescope|AdvACT]], [[BICEP and Keck Array|BICEP array]], [[South Pole Telescope|SPT-3G]] and the HFI camera on the [[planck (spacecraft)|Planck satellite]], as well as the planned [[Simons Observatory]], CMB-S4 experiment,<ref>{{Cite web|url=https://cmb-s4.org/|title=CMB-S4 – CMB-S4 Next Generation CMB Experiment|website=cmb-s4.org}}</ref> and [[LiteBIRD]] satellite.