Spectroscopy

Spectroscopy is a vital tool for astronomers and provides a wealth of information

Students learn to:

• account for the production of emission and absorption spectra and compare these with a continuous blackbody spectrum
• describe the technology needed to measure astronomical spectra
• identify the general types of spectra produced by stars, emission nebulae, galaxies and quasars
• describe the key features of stellar spectra and describe how these are used to classify stars
• describe how spectra can provide information on surface temperature, rotational and translational velocity, density and chemical composition of stars

Students:

• perform a first-hand investigation to examine a variety of spectra produced by discharge tubes, reflected sunlight, or incandescent filaments
• analyse information to predict the surface temperature of a star from its intensity/wavelength graph