Spectroscopy: the Key to Stars: Reading Lines in Stellar Spectra

While most amateur astronomers know about the red shift, have a general idea of the way that the emission and absorption lines in stellar spectra provide an insight into the atomic processes of the star, it is unusual to find someone who has any kind of detailed knowledge. More can be learned about physical processes going on in stars and nebulae by understanding and analyzing their spectra than by any other means. Many amateur astronomers who use CCD cameras are taking up spectroscopy as part of their observational program, but until now the physics that underlies astronomical spectroscopy has been confined to advanced academic books. Not any more! In Spectroscopy – the Key to the Stars, Keith Robinson describes the physics and physical processes that cause the stellar spectra to be as they are… spectra that amateur astronomers can image with today’s commercially-made equipment. Written specifically for amateur astronomers, this book assumes only a basic knowledge of physics but looks in detail at many topics, including energy levels in atoms, the molecular spectra of red stars, emission lines in nebulae, and much, much more. Here is everything you need to know about how the atomic processes in stars and nebulae produce the spectra that amateur astronomers can image, and why spectroscopy is such a powerful tool for astronomers.

Pagina's: 172, Editie: 2007, Paperback, Springer