Here is what I want be able to do (or know how to do):

Does any compact equipment exist to "scroll through" a large part of the spectrum. For example, optics are obviously needed to look at the light from a star - but say I want to look at its microwaves, then its x-rays. How integrated has astronomy equipment gotten? Have you ever heard of this? I say ease of use leads to discovery and realization (though it probably requires invention to an extent). What would be required?

P.S. I'm starting to familiarize myself with a friend's Celestron NexStar 4se. What do you think of this equipment? I've mostly done CS and IT, so naturally, I want to hook this thing up to a computer so I can subject it to automation/algorithms/recording/analysis - etc. Yet, it looks like it would take significant work to build such a system around this scope. What are some of the lowest profile computer-telescope systems people have built?