What can spectra tell us about temperature?

Stars are too far away (and too hot!) for a human to touch, yet we can measure their temperatures. Spectra make this possible! Let’s investigate how.

Temperature and Colors from Spectra Predictions

Spectrum Notebook. In the Temperature and Colors from Spectra section, answer these questions:

  1. You see a red star and a blue star in the sky. Which do you think has the higher temperature?
  2. Explain why you chose the answer you did. It’s okay if you have no idea! We will explain the answer in the next section.
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