I Why are emission spectra of stars rarely shown?

AI Thread Summary
Emission spectra of stars are rarely shown because capturing them requires specific conditions, such as waiting for an eclipse to avoid overwhelming thermal emissions from the star, like the Sun. Observing light from the outer edge of a star can yield an emission spectrum, but the intense brightness complicates direct observation. The atmosphere causes light 'spillage,' making it difficult to obtain clear details without an eclipse. While terrestrial coronagraph telescopes can provide some images of the corona, they are limited by atmospheric effects. Space-based solutions, like using a large disc to create an artificial eclipse, are more effective but require precise guidance and positioning.
pkc111
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e.g I dont think I ve ever seen one of our Sun.
According to this link you just have to anlayse the light that isn't coming from a place on the star that has a light the source directly behind it e.g wouldn't looking at light from the outer edge of star give you an emission spectrum?

http://www.thestargarden.co.uk/Spectral-lines.html
 
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Yes thank you so much phys guy..that makes perfect sense. I am still not quite sure why they have to wait for an eclipse, I would have thought they could just sample light coming from the outer edge of the Sun, but anyways I am sure they have their reasons ;)
 
pkc111 said:
Yes thank you so much phys guy..that makes perfect sense. I am still not quite sure why they have to wait for an eclipse, I would have thought they could just sample light coming from the outer edge of the Sun, but anyways I am sure they have their reasons ;)
If you do not wait for an eclipse you will be completely blinded by the thermal emission spectrum from the Sun.
 
yes I read that, so I am wondering why you wouldn't use a camera (viewed on a monitor) to just select from the outer light ring?
 
pkc111 said:
yes I read that, so I am wondering why you wouldn't use a camera (viewed on a monitor) to just select from the outer light ring?
Should be a doddle? No. The brightness of the Sun's disc is so great that there is far too much 'spillage' of light on its path through the atmosphere to get the detail that a total eclipse can give us.
It is possible to get an imperfect image of the corona with a terrestrial coronagraph telescope. This puts a disc over the intermediate image inside the scope which covers the Sun's main part. But it only takes you so far. You can't get away from the effects of the atmosphere. Hubble does some solar measurements by this method ( a different camera from the deep space one!) An alternative would be to use a large disc at some distance in front of a space telescope to produce your own 'eclipse' but it all needs to be out in space and carefully guided.
 
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