Model spectrum
Encyclopedia
A model spectrum is an artificial spectrum
of a star
made by recreating the absorption
or emission features seen in the spectrum. A model spectrum will usually be of a specific spectral type of star
and may include other properties of the star, such as a surrounding nebula
, presence or lack of an extended atmosphere
or a circumstellar dust
disc.
Spectrum
A spectrum is a condition that is not limited to a specific set of values but can vary infinitely within a continuum. The word saw its first scientific use within the field of optics to describe the rainbow of colors in visible light when separated using a prism; it has since been applied by...
of a star
Star
A star is a massive, luminous sphere of plasma held together by gravity. At the end of its lifetime, a star can also contain a proportion of degenerate matter. The nearest star to Earth is the Sun, which is the source of most of the energy on Earth...
made by recreating the absorption
Absorption (electromagnetic radiation)
In physics, absorption of electromagnetic radiation is the way by which the energy of a photon is taken up by matter, typically the electrons of an atom. Thus, the electromagnetic energy is transformed to other forms of energy for example, to heat. The absorption of light during wave propagation is...
or emission features seen in the spectrum. A model spectrum will usually be of a specific spectral type of star
Star
A star is a massive, luminous sphere of plasma held together by gravity. At the end of its lifetime, a star can also contain a proportion of degenerate matter. The nearest star to Earth is the Sun, which is the source of most of the energy on Earth...
and may include other properties of the star, such as a surrounding nebula
Nebula
A nebula is an interstellar cloud of dust, hydrogen gas, helium gas and other ionized gases...
, presence or lack of an extended atmosphere
Atmosphere
An atmosphere is a layer of gases that may surround a material body of sufficient mass, and that is held in place by the gravity of the body. An atmosphere may be retained for a longer duration, if the gravity is high and the atmosphere's temperature is low...
or a circumstellar dust
Circumstellar dust
Circumstellar Dust is astronomical dust around a star. It can be in the form of a spherical shell or a disk, e.g. an accretion disk. Circumstellar dust can be responsible for significant extinction and is usually the source of an infrared excess for stars that have it.The motion of circumstellar...
disc.