Museo Galileo
italiano
Virtual Museum
In-depth
Bands

Stellar light is composed of different colors. Technically, this set of colors is called the spectrum of the star. The light emitted by incandescent bodies exhibits a spectrum with a gradual transition from violet to the red without noticeable breaks. This type of spectrum is known as a continuous spectrum. In stars, the continuous spectrum is divided by dark bands, called absorption bands, which are determined by the chemical elements in the star's atmosphere and by their physical state.