Helmuth Schultes, member MPAS, gave a clear and well-paced talk on spectroscopy
from a very brief history through foundational quantum physics
to the hydrogen series that gave meaning to basic interpretation of astronomical spectra;
then onto prisms, CDs, SA100/SA200 gratings, and slit spectroscopes.
Example spectra were discussed.
For Sky for the Month that
included starters spectroscopic objects, see thread* (now with slides):
http://www.iceinspace.com.au/forum/s...72#post1296172
Over coffee a spread of EXHIBITS were displayed, including:
- Books (as per References for Sky for the Month*, plus
Pearls of the Southern Skies!! Willasch and Slotegraaf
and
Atlas of the Southern Night Sky Massey and Quirk)
-
a transmission grating spectroscope (RO200)
- a reflection grating mirror
- a compound-prism eyepiece spectroscope
- a few prisms (kindly gifted by Barry Clark, ASV)
- a direct view hand-held spectroscope,
- a cardboard tube one (from U. of Melbourne),
- rainbow-spectacles (made from ASV 900 l/mm plastic-grating).
- Book:
Astronomical Spectroscopy for Amateurs, Ken Harrison
Regards
Team
PS Helmuth told a story of buying a pointer for the presentation and
on enquiring what the topic would be, the vendor asked if he would give a talk to their local school.......
How a garden of star science grows..... :-)