absorption lines
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Interstellar Spectra
I often refer to what we call the interstellar medium as the galaxy’s “backstage,” and I do that for a reason: for the most part, we can’t see it. The backstage of any theater isn’t part of the show. You, as…
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Types of Stars
Meet the sun: a G2 class star towards the middle of its lifespan. Wait a second…G2? What does that even mean? It’s all part of a way astronomers break down the billions of stars in the sky and organize them…
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The Atomic Spectrum
Astronomers know that if white light passes through a prism and is bent, it’s separated out into its component colors — the colors of the rainbow. Astronomers also know that when light interacts with atoms, the building blocks of the…
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Info in a Rainbow
What do you see in this image? If you’re from a larger city and haven’t had the opportunity to venture into a place like the desert, you might not know what you’re looking at. That’s the Milky Way, our name…
