This experiment is for advanced students. There are many different elements inside of a star. But they are so far away that we can’t get close enough to study them… or can we? By studying the special light signature (called “spectral lines”) astronomers can figure out not only which element, but also the approximate temperature and density of the element within the star, in addition to getting an idea of what the magnetic fields look like, which tells us about stellar wing and what the planets might be doing around the star, or if there might be another companion star.
Spectroscopy is a very complicated science, so let’s get started by actually doing it, and we’ll figure out what’s going on along the way.
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