Can dispersion of light take place through lens?

AI Thread Summary
Dispersion of light can occur through lenses, including both convex and concave types, as they can scatter white light into its constituent colors. This phenomenon is related to chromatic aberration, where different wavelengths of light are refracted by varying amounts. The discussion highlights personal experiences with high-index glass lenses that exhibit significant dispersion, allowing for visible spectral effects, particularly at the lens edges. Observations include distinct spectrum lines from street lamps, such as sodium and mercury vapor lamps. Overall, lenses can indeed disperse light, leading to interesting visual effects.
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Can dispersion of light take place through lens, i.e. can lens (incl. Convex and Concave) scatter white light into its constituents?
 
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Do a little reading on "chromatic aberration."
 
I once had eyeglasses that used a then-new type of glass with a higher index of refraction which allowed the lenses to be thinner. (I'm very nearsighted and have to use a strong lens prescription.) That glass also had a rather high dispersion, so when I looked at a street-lamp through the outer part of the lens, near the edge, I saw a nice little spectrum. I could even make out spectrum lines in sodium and mercury vapor lamps!
 

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