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They pass the light from a star into a diffraction grating, I believe, to give a widely spread out spectrum of the star's light. The elements and compounds present will of course emit (or absorb, I don't remember) light at specific wavelengths, thus identifying the elements present.
Scientists apply the emission spectra to investigate the chemical composition by using a prism to split the star's light and observe wavelengths that show higher intensity than others. These wavelengths are compared to the emission spectra of known gases to determine the chemical composition of stars.
The answer is long and complicated, and it is too long to place here.
You need to read an entire encyclopedia articles on spectroscopy and the chemical composition of intersteller objects.
D.A.W.
Got this from wikipedia;
Newton used a prism to split white light into a spectrum of colour, and Fraunhofer's high-quality prisms allowed scientists to see dark lines of an unknown origin. It was not until the 1850s that Gustav Kirchoff and Robert Bunsen would describe the phenomena behind these dark lines; hot solid objects produce light with a continuous spectrum, hot gasses emit light at specific wavelengths, and hot solid objects surrounded by cooler gasses will show a near-continuous spectrum with dark lines corresponding to the emission lines of the gasses.[5]:42-44[10]By comparing the absorption lines of the sun with emission spectra of known gasses, the chemical composition of stars can be determined.
They study patterns in light bands that are separated from starlight by the spectroscope
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If Astronomers observe a typical star using a telescope and a spectrometer they will be able to determine what?
Astronomers can determine the star's temperature, chemical composition, mass, luminosity, and age by analyzing its spectrum. By studying the absorption and emission lines in the spectrum, astronomers can also infer the star's motion, magnetic fields, and if it has any companions such as planets or other stars.
What part of a star is it that astronomers study in order to learn its characteristics of a star?
Astronomers study the spectrum of light emitted by a star to learn about its characteristics. By analyzing the composition of elements, temperature, and density of a star, astronomers can determine its size, age, brightness, and life cycle stage.
What can electromagnetic spectrum tell us about a star?
The electromagnetic spectrum of a star reveals important information about its temperature, composition, and evolutionary stage. By studying the different wavelengths of light emitted by a star, astronomers can determine its surface temperature, size, age, and chemical composition, providing valuable insights into its nature and behavior.
What do austronamers study to learn about the properties of stars?
Astronomers study the light emitted by stars to learn about their properties. By analyzing the different wavelengths and intensities of light, astronomers can determine a star's temperature, composition, size, and age. This information helps astronomers to classify and understand stars better.
Does the absorption spectra tell astronomers if a star is moving towards the earth?
No, absorption spectra do not directly tell astronomers if a star is moving towards Earth. Doppler shifts in the absorption lines of a star's spectrum can indicate its motion along the line of sight, but to determine if a star is moving towards Earth, astronomers would typically use techniques such as measuring changes in its position over time through methods like astrometry or observing its spectroscopic radial velocity.
How do astronomers determine the chemical compositions of stars?
Astronomers determine the chemical compositions of stars by analyzing their spectra, which is the light they emit split into different wavelengths. By studying the absorption lines in a star's spectrum, astronomers can identify the elements present in the star's atmosphere. Comparing these absorption lines to known spectral lines of elements allows astronomers to determine the chemical composition of stars.
What instrument do the astronomers use to determine the chemical composition of a star?
They use a spectrograph to pass light through a prism to break it the light waves into its constituent colors. Then by looking at what colors are missing they can determine both the temperature and composition of the star.
If Astronomers observe a typical star using a telescope and a spectrometer they will be able to determine what?
Astronomers can determine the star's temperature, chemical composition, mass, luminosity, and age by analyzing its spectrum. By studying the absorption and emission lines in the spectrum, astronomers can also infer the star's motion, magnetic fields, and if it has any companions such as planets or other stars.
The set of spectral lines that we see in star's spectrum depends on the stars?
composition and temperature. The spectral lines correspond to different elements present in the star and the wavelengths of these lines are affected by the star's temperature. By analyzing these lines, astronomers can determine the chemical composition and other characteristics of the star.
What does the spectrum of a star determine?
The spectrum of a star provides information about its temperature, composition, and motion. By analyzing the spectrum, astronomers can determine the star's chemical makeup, age, and even whether it is moving toward or away from Earth.
Spectrographs help astronomers determine a star's what?
The star's chemical composition; the star's rotation; pulsations of the star; planets or other invisible objects moving around the star; how quickly the star is moving towards us or away from us.
What part of a star is it that astronomers study in order to learn its characteristics of a star?
Astronomers study the spectrum of light emitted by a star to learn about its characteristics. By analyzing the composition of elements, temperature, and density of a star, astronomers can determine its size, age, brightness, and life cycle stage.
What can electromagnetic spectrum tell us about a star?
The electromagnetic spectrum of a star reveals important information about its temperature, composition, and evolutionary stage. By studying the different wavelengths of light emitted by a star, astronomers can determine its surface temperature, size, age, and chemical composition, providing valuable insights into its nature and behavior.
What do austronamers study to learn about the properties of stars?
Astronomers study the light emitted by stars to learn about their properties. By analyzing the different wavelengths and intensities of light, astronomers can determine a star's temperature, composition, size, and age. This information helps astronomers to classify and understand stars better.
How did astronomers in the 19th century gather information about the chemical composition of stellar objects?
There is one way for gathering information about chemical composition of stellar objects - spectral analysis! Astronomical spectroscopy began with Isaac Newton's initial observations of the light of the Sun, dispersed by a prism. He saw a rainbow of colour, and may have seen absorption lines. The absorption lines in stellar spectra can be used to determine the chemical composition of the star.
What instrument do the astronomers use to determine the chemical composition of the star?
Astronomers use a spectrograph to determine the chemical composition of a star. Spectrographs break down the light from a star into its different wavelengths, allowing astronomers to analyze the specific wavelengths of light emitted by different chemical elements present in the star's atmosphere.
Does the absorption spectra tell astronomers if a star is moving towards the earth?
No, absorption spectra do not directly tell astronomers if a star is moving towards Earth. Doppler shifts in the absorption lines of a star's spectrum can indicate its motion along the line of sight, but to determine if a star is moving towards Earth, astronomers would typically use techniques such as measuring changes in its position over time through methods like astrometry or observing its spectroscopic radial velocity.
