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Invitation to basic observations of ‘rainbow’ colours from the stars
Hi, Greetings to all,
Here’s an extract for you from a report of volunteers’ work on basic spectroscopy for the astronomical community.
It is so easy to thread a basic grating (lower-cost than many similarly-threaded filters!) to the eyepiece and visually see vivid rainbow-like colours from bright stars, full of interesting information. (This thin band can appear wider with a cylindrical lens over the ep.)
If exploring further by basic imaging and software processing (instantly in some cases or later otherwise), much information is graphically and colourfully presented –just to look at or for closer scrutiny.
Two introductory articles in the series of six, “Colour Codes from the Stars” have been submitted for newsletters to all astronomical societies in Australia and NZ, in June and Aug 2016, with illustrations. Part 2 ‘Visible Colours’ is the crux of the matter! It has been condensed to bare-bone essentials for getting started. If you haven’t seen even the first article please enquire with your Society so they know of your interest. If you’d like a demo/workshop please voice it.
Just have a go One recent example is: a few people teamed up and looked at basic gratings. After imaging a lamp light spectrum then experimenting with cropping and ‘play’ processing with a free-trial s/w, the process was repeated with a bright star. It matters little at this stage whether everything, or anything, is correct; the journey of discovery-learning ‘enjoyment’ matters a lot more!
Even without a grating, or a prism, any borrowed images or samples supplied with the s/w can be played with. Please look up free and free-trial s/w with various help facilities. Anyone can just…. play.
Why should more of us do this?
Because we can, because the view is amazing, because the entry level is so low-cost, because most of us have never seen star spectra visually, because we call ourselves –astronomers, because most of us are not showing the public the views and this very basic means of understanding the universe, and because for Pro-Am collaborations very very few contributors are from the southern hemisphere. Plus…. it’s awesome fun.
Hope more of us will explore (some groups are well ahead, let us catch up); and please share stories about your journey.
Thank you!
Team Southskyscience
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