Because the distance between stars is so great.
Scientists can determine the contents of stars using spectrometer (spectrograph or spectroscope.) Basically different compounds give off different wavelengths of of light. By measuring the light you can identify the compound.
light years
The distances between stars and between galaxies are enormous. Using more conventional units such as miles and kilometers gives you very large numbers in the trillions and higher. A light year, the distance light travels in a year, is far more useful. Stars that are in the same general neighborhood are usually a few light years apart. The nearest star to our sun, for example. is just over 4 light years away.
The wavelength of light can be determined using a diffraction grating by measuring the angles of the diffraction pattern produced by the grating. The relationship between the wavelength of light, the distance between the grating lines, and the angles of diffraction can be described by the grating equation. By measuring the angles and using this equation, the wavelength of light can be calculated.
The process of measuring wavelengths of light is conducted using a spectrophotometer, which separates light into its different wavelengths and measures the intensity of each wavelength. This device can provide detailed information about the properties of light, such as its color and energy levels.
When measuring distances in space, the distances are so huge that using kilometres and miles becomes pointless. A number of other measuring systems are used. A light year is the distance that light travels in a year. It is about 9,460,730,472,581 kilometres or about 5,878,630,000,000 miles. After the sun the nearest star is over 4 light years away. Many of the stars you see in the sky are hundreds of light years away and much more. So it is a lot easier to say 100 light years than 587,863,000,000,000 miles.
Distances of stars and objects in space can be measured by light years. Edit: This is a big question. The problem of measuring distance in astronomy has gradually been improved over many years. If you just mean stars within our Galaxy, the nearest ones can be measured using "parallax". The stars called "Cepheid variables" are very useful for bigger distances. The periods over which their brightness varies is linked to their "absolute magnitude" ( how luminous they really are). So their "apparent magnitude" (how bright they seem) gives a good guide to their distance. Spectroscopy is very useful too, because it gives us a good idea of how bright a star really is. Again the distance can be estimated by comparing the absolute and apparent magnitudes.
The universe's primary source of light is stars. Stars are massive balls of gas that undergo nuclear fusion, generating heat and light that radiates out into space. Other sources of light in the universe include galaxies, quasars, and other celestial objects.
A light pen is a useful device for artists. A photosensitive cell is mounted at it's tip and so it is useful for drawing or any other work but the artist working on it feels freely and can draw as if he's using a sketch pencil used for drawing.So that is how light pen is useful for artists. by r.k (R.I.S)
One advantage of using parallax is that it directly measures the distance to stars by observing their apparent shift against background objects over time, while the Doppler effect relies on measuring the velocity of stars relative to Earth. Parallax is more accurate for nearby stars within a few hundred light-years, while the Doppler effect is better for calculating the velocity of more distant stars.
Since each element has a personalized, quantized amount of energy levels that the electrons of its atoms can inhabit, employing an understanding of wave-particle duality in light, wavelengths can be measured and matched back to what element is emitting it. Using spectroscopy, the elemental composition of the stars can be determined by measuring the wavelengths of the light emitted from them. The light refracts in the spectroscope lens (it works like a prism, separating white light into the colors that compose it) and displays colored notches with their corresponding wavelengths.
Navigators began using the astrolabe for navigation in the early 15th century. It was a key tool for determining latitude by measuring the angle between the horizon and the stars.