Stellar Spectrum Mission

Survey nearby stars. Infer temperature, distance, and atmospheric elements from light alone.

Received-light spectrometer

Adjustable detector range · 50–3000 nm · absorption spectrum

instrument online

λ — nm · flux —

λ 380–780 nm · log F −4.5–3.5

Set exact axis limits

λ min λ max log F min log F max

Mouse wheel: gentle zoom around pointer · hold left mouse button and drag: pan · Shift + wheel: pan wavelength · Alt/Option + wheel: pan flux · supported range: 50–3000 nm

No comparison spectrum pinned

Student analysis save one hypothesis per star

Estimated surface temperature (K)

Estimated distance (light-years)

Detected elements

Mission recommendation

Teacher controls

Parameters here are hidden from the student view.

Star parameters

Create a new target or load the selected target into this form and update it.

Target name

Temperature

Distance

Atmospheric absorption fingerprints

Sector management

Generate a fresh set of stars or restore the built-in lesson sector.

Number of stars

Sector label

Model assumptions

The continuum uses Planck's wavelength law. Received intensity is reduced by the inverse square of distance. All stars are treated as having the same radius, with no dust extinction, Doppler shift, interstellar absorption, or instrument calibration differences. Line depths are simplified classroom fingerprints rather than full stellar-atmosphere calculations.

The displayed gaps are absorption lines. The same atomic transitions can appear as bright emission lines in a hot, thin gas. Selected optical wavelengths are based on standard atomic line tables and are intentionally reduced to a manageable teaching set.