Johann Fraunhofer is credited with the first systematic measurement of the wavelengths of absorption lines in the solar spectrum, using diffraction spectroscopy with a grating of 50,000 grooves per inch. His work in 1814 rediscovered dark bands in the spectrum, which had been previously noted but not measured accurately. Thomas Young also contributed to wavelength measurement through his double-slit experiments in 1801, but his focus was on the colors of the rainbow rather than absorption lines. The discussion emphasizes the importance of thorough research beyond Wikipedia, as well as the need to clarify historical contributions in the field of spectroscopy. The unit of measurement used in these early studies was the inch.