ASTRONOMICAL SPECTROSCOPY: AN INTRODUCTION TO THE ATOMIC AND MOLECULAR PHYSICS OF ASTRONOMICAL SPECTRA

by Tennyson Jonathan

New Astronomical Spectroscopy (3rd Edition)Nearly all information about the Universe comes from the study of light as it reaches us. However, understanding the information contained in this light requires both telescopes capable of resolving it into its component colours and a detailed knowledge of the quantum mechanical behaviour of atoms and molecules. This book, which is based on a third-year undergraduate course taught by the author at University College London, presents the basic atomic and molecular physics necessary to understand and interpret astronomical spectra. It explains how and what kind of information can be extracted from these spectra. Contemporary astronomical spectra are used extensively to study the underlying atomic physics and illustrate the results.

Genres: Astronomy

236 pages, Hardcover

First published July 18, 2005

Reviews

[Francesca Fernandes · Rating 5 out of 5]

ohmygosh WHAT a lifesaver <333

[James · Rating 4 out of 5]

All of the information that we have about the universe comes from the study of light. It is astonishing how much that you can discover from looking at the spectra of an astronomical object. Composition, temperature, abundance, motions, density and magnetic fields all leave their quantum fingerprints on the spectra.