Phantom in the Light: The story of early spectroscopy
24 days ago
- #spectroscopy
- #science-history
- #astronomy
- Early human history viewed rainbows as supernatural phenomena across various cultures.
- Isaac Newton's 1672 experiment with a prism debunked Aristotelian theories, showing white light is a combination of colors.
- Newton introduced the term 'spectrum' in his 1704 book 'Opticks,' laying groundwork for modern spectroscopy.
- William Hyde Wollaston in 1802 noticed gaps in the solar spectrum but didn't understand their significance.
- Joseph von Fraunhofer's 1814 improved spectroscope identified and quantified 570 spectral lines, now called Fraunhofer lines.
- Robert Bunsen and Gustav Kirchhoff advanced flame spectroscopy, discovering elements cesium and rubidium via emission spectra.
- Kirchhoff's three laws of spectroscopy explained relationships between black body radiation, emission, and absorption spectra.
- Stars' spectra reveal their composition, proving elements like technetium are forged in stars, supporting stellar nucleosynthesis.
- Carl Sagan's quote highlights that humans are made of starstuff, with hydrogen dating back to the Big Bang.
- Spectroscopy's evolution from Newton to modern astronomy demonstrates science's power to uncover the universe's mysteries.