What apparatus and methods are used to measure star spectra (for calculating redshift and classifying star types, for example) and luminosity? Is image analysis involved or spectrometers?
Thanks in advance.How are star spectra and luminosity measured in modern astrology?Astrology!?!? What is that???
In modern astrophysics however, spectrographs are used to create a spectra in the form of a graph. This graph will be closely approximate to that of a blackbody.
There will be a distinctive peak in the graph at a certain wavelength and this wavelengh can then be used to calculate the temperature of the star according to Wiens Displacement Law. The temperature can then be used in the calculation of the luminosity.
The other property needed to determine luminosity is the radius. This can be roughly determined through careful analysis of the spectral characteristics of the star.
Redshift can be determined relatively easily through the measurement of the observed positions of particular spectral lines against those of laboratory specimens. Redshift of course can assist in determining a rough distance of a star, and this can in turn help in calculating the absolute magnitude. In conjunction with the measured temperature we can now place the star on the HR diagram and from this information we can then confirm the approximate mass of the star.
Hope all that makes sense!
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