Stellar Guides
For Elements In Our Sky! by Sam Joslyn
Light and Color
Why Is This Useful?
When using this tool, scientists can then look at stars too far for us to reach and find out their composition. Stars emit light as a result of nuclear fusion, and as the particles smash into each other they can form other elements. For example, 2 atoms of hydrogen fusing into a helium atom.
Astronomers can then use the elements they find in the star to learn more about it. As stars continue to use nuclear fusion, eventually those atoms will form bigger and bigger elements. When the star becomes too dense and heavy, it can die and collapse upon itself. This is one example of the spectroscope's importance to scientists.
What's a Spectrascope?
There is a prism in the spectroscope which separates the light into its respective wavelengths when you look at the source.
How Do You Use a Spectroscope?
Below are some examples of light spectra and their respective elements, much like how you would see them in a spectroscope.