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Stellar spectrum: blackbody continuum and absorption lines

What you are seeing: the Planck continuum (yellow) shifts with TT (Wien's law); on top, characteristic stellar absorption lines (H Balmer, Ca II H&K, Na D, Mg b) cut into the spectrum. Sliding TT lets you sweep through OBAFGKM-type stars and see the peak migrate from UV through visible to IR.

Figure 1. Continuum + line spectrum vs T.
T (K)5800
line depth1.0
scale

WHAT TO TRY

  • Vary each control and watch the rail readouts respond.
  • Compare the diagnostic plot against the live scene.