spectrographs
Wavelength recording instruments
Spectrographs are instruments that separate light or other radiation into its component wavelengths and record the resulting spectrum.
Scientists use spectrographs to analyze the composition of stars, identify chemical compounds, or study molecular structures: The observatory's spectrograph revealed the presence of water vapor in the exoplanet's atmosphere.
Measures electromagnetic radiation properties
- prismLight-splitting optical element
- detectorDevice that senses
- CCDLight-sensitive imaging chip
- collimatorParallel ray producer
fiber optics · slit · photographic plate · aperture · sensor array · interferometer
Spatial repetition interval
- frequencyRate of recurrence
- nanometerMetric unit, billion-fold smaller
- angstromSubatomic length unit
- infraredHeat-bearing electromagnetic waves
ultraviolet · gamma ray · X-ray · radio wave · microwave · terahertz · bandwidth · electromagnetic radiation
Wavelength stretch from recession
- blueshiftLight compressed by approach
- Doppler shiftFrequency change from movement
- quasarLuminous active galactic core
- supernovaExploding massive star
Hubble · Kepler · chromosphere · corona · binary stars
Highest points attained
- troughsLong narrow containers
- color bandsAdjacent strips of hue
- data visualizationGraphical representation of information
- readoutDisplayed recorded data
spectrometer
Measures electromagnetic radiation properties
collimator · fiber optics · slit · photographic plate · aperture · sensor array · interferometer
wavelength
Spatial repetition interval
infrared · ultraviolet · gamma ray · X-ray · radio wave · microwave · terahertz · bandwidth · electromagnetic radiation
redshift
Wavelength stretch from recession
- blueshiftLight compressed by approach
- Doppler shiftFrequency change from movement
- quasarLuminous active galactic core
supernova · Hubble · Kepler · chromosphere · corona · binary stars
signal-to-noise
Proportion of meaning to clutter
peaks
Highest points attained
- troughsLong narrow containers
- color bandsAdjacent strips of hue
- data visualizationGraphical representation of information