Observation by Bill W: Laboratory Swan Bands

Uploaded by

Bill Ward

Observer

Bill W

Observed

2010 May 12 - 20:23

Uploaded

2019 Sep 14 - 17:31

Objects

Spectrum

Equipment

Home made spectroscope
Butane torch
Canon350D

Target name

Swan Bands

Title

Laboratory Swan Bands

About this image

A bit of laboratory astrophysics. Much is said of the Swan Bands in cometary spectra. These are emissions from C2. Not having a ready made comet to experiment with. it occured to me I might have a suitable analogue!

Pointing my home made Littrow spectroscope at the flame of a propane torch used for plumbing I recorded this spectra of the C2 emissions in the flame. Pretty much the same as a comet, just a bit hotter.. ;-)

The only real difference is the yellow line (sodium) coming from somewhere as it's not a C emission.

Files associated with this observation

torch_spec3.jpg (224.0 kB)

Like this image

Mr Leonard Entwisle, Jeremy Shears, Andy Wilson, Peter Carson, Andrew Dumbleton, Robin Leadbeater

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