Origin of Spectra
Spectra of stars arise from two different physical
phenomena. Stars, being hot luminous bodies, radiate a continuous
spectrum of "black body" radiation based on their temperature. The
distribution of radiation for typical ranges of temperatures are
shown in the figure below.
The temperature range for common classes of stars and their surface temperatures are shown in the able below:
In addition to the continuous black body radiation. Plasma in the stellar photoshere and chronosphere absorb
radiation leading to dark absorption lines in the spectra. Some of the most common absorption lines in astronomy are
summarized in the table below:
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