answersLogoWhite

0

The discovery that stars are made of different elements based on the color of light they emit is primarily attributed to the development of spectroscopy in the 19th century. When light from a star passes through a prism, it creates a spectrum that reveals distinct lines, known as absorption or emission lines, corresponding to specific wavelengths of light. Each element produces a unique pattern of lines, allowing scientists to identify the chemical composition of stars. This method was famously used by astronomer Sir William Herschel and later refined by others, leading to our understanding of stellar composition.

User Avatar

AnswerBot

3mo ago

What else can I help you with?

Continue Learning about Astronomy

Do starts reflect light?

Yes, stars produce their own light through nuclear fusion in their cores. This light is emitted in various wavelengths, including visible light that we can see from Earth. The intensity and color of the light emitted by stars depend on their temperature and age.


What controls the color of a star?

The color of a star is determined by its surface temperature. Hotter stars emit more blue light, while cooler stars emit more red light. This relationship is described by Wien's Law, where the peak wavelength of light emitted by a star is inversely proportional to its temperature.


What characteristics do scientists measure to determine the temperature and composition of stars?

Scientists measure the brightness, color, and spectral lines of stars to determine their temperature and composition. By analyzing the light emitted by stars, scientists can infer important information about their properties. The temperature of a star is usually determined by examining the peak wavelength of its emitted light, while the spectral lines reveal the elements present in the star's atmosphere.


How do stars get there color?

The color of a star is determined by its surface temperature. Hotter stars appear blue or white, while cooler stars appear red. This is due to the different wavelengths of light emitted based on the star's temperature.


What is the color of a star most closely related to its?

The color of a star is closely related to its temperature. Cooler stars appear reddish in color, while hotter stars appear blue. This is due to the relationship between temperature and the peak wavelength of light emitted by the star.

Related Questions

Do starts reflect light?

Yes, stars produce their own light through nuclear fusion in their cores. This light is emitted in various wavelengths, including visible light that we can see from Earth. The intensity and color of the light emitted by stars depend on their temperature and age.


What controls the color of a star?

The color of a star is determined by its surface temperature. Hotter stars emit more blue light, while cooler stars emit more red light. This relationship is described by Wien's Law, where the peak wavelength of light emitted by a star is inversely proportional to its temperature.


What characteristics do scientists measure to determine the temperature and composition of stars?

Scientists measure the brightness, color, and spectral lines of stars to determine their temperature and composition. By analyzing the light emitted by stars, scientists can infer important information about their properties. The temperature of a star is usually determined by examining the peak wavelength of its emitted light, while the spectral lines reveal the elements present in the star's atmosphere.


What makes some stars look brighter then others?

How big, how hot (color/amount of energy emitted), how far, light pollution at viewing site


How do stars get there color?

The color of a star is determined by its surface temperature. Hotter stars appear blue or white, while cooler stars appear red. This is due to the different wavelengths of light emitted based on the star's temperature.


What are 3 things that visible light can be emitted by?

stars, flashlights, toasters, CFLs, LEDs, fireflies


What did Hubble conclude when he noted that light emitted from stars is shifting toward the red of the electromagnetic spectrum?

He noted that light emitted from stars is shifted further toward the red of the electromagnetic spectrum . From this he concluded that the universe was expanding.


What is the color of a star most closely related to its?

The color of a star is closely related to its temperature. Cooler stars appear reddish in color, while hotter stars appear blue. This is due to the relationship between temperature and the peak wavelength of light emitted by the star.


Why stars vary in color?

Stars vary in color due to differences in their surface temperature. Hotter stars appear blue or white, while cooler stars appear red. This is because the peak wavelength of light emitted by a star is related to its temperature, with hotter stars emitting shorter, bluer wavelengths and cooler stars emitting longer, redder wavelengths.


Does the color of a star determine its temperature?

Yes, the color of a star is directly related to its temperature. Hotter stars appear bluer in color, while cooler stars have a reddish hue. This relationship is governed by Wien's Law, which states that the peak wavelength of light emitted by an object is inversely proportional to its temperature.


What is the nature of the energy emitted by stars?

The energy is called electromagnetic radiation (light energy).


The color of a star is a clue to its what?

The color of a star is a clue to its temperature. Hotter stars tend to be blue or white, while cooler stars appear red. This is because the wavelength of light emitted by a star changes with temperature, leading to different colors.