Recreating effect of infrared telescope

[mardigrassi123]

Hi everyone,

I want to create a photo where some images only appear when viewed through a plastic film. This would be akin to how putting on 3d glasses changes the viewer's perception of an image, except here I'm envisioning a black image that, when observed through a special kind of plastic film, reveals things like stars and galaxy clusters. Sort of like how an infrared telescope allows us to "see" objects far off in outer space.

Is there a way to achieve this effect?

Thanks!

 

[Gavjenks]

Yes, the cheapest way is almost certainly polarized light. Your eyeballs can't detect the polarization of light, but filters that can pass it or not (the result of which your eyeballs can see) are dirt cheap. And it can all be done passively. You need some sort of surface that reflects a pattern in which direction it polarizes light in different parts of it when you shine all directions on it. Then polarizing filter glasses (existing sunglasses could even work, depending, if not custom ones would be cheap)

 

[KmH]

Infrared and radio telescopes let us 'see' wavelengths of light humans cannot see.

Infrared has a lower frequency than the lowest (red) frequency human eyes can detect. Infrared - Wikipedia, the free encyclopedia
In Latin, infra means under (under red).
Infrared astronomy - Wikipedia, the free encyclopedia

Do you want to use a telescope or a camera?
DSLR cameras can be converted so they record infrared, ultraviolet, or hydrogen alpha light - Our Product Offering | LifePixel Digital Infrared Photography IR Conversion, Modification & Scratched Sensor Repair