Observation by Hugh Allen: Spectra of the bright stars of Cassiope...

Uploaded by

Hugh Allen

Observer

Hugh Allen

Observed

2018 Feb 11 - 20:30

Uploaded

2018 Mar 11 - 13:44

Objects

Spectrum

Equipment

8" Meade LX90 at f6.3
Alpy 600 spectroscope
Ati 314L mono camera
Spectra processed in BASS software

Location

Oakhill Somerset

Target name

Bright stars of Cassiopeia

Title

Spectra of the bright stars of Cassiopeia

About this image

Over the last few months I have been spending much of my spectroscopic observing time following the eclipse of VV Cep. This night I decided to relax with a little project on the contrasting spectra of the bright stars of Cassiopeia. They include the famous gamma Cassiopeiae whose spectrum shows intensely bright hydrogen Balmer emission lines first observed by Angelo Secchi, one of the 19th century pioneers of astronomical spectroscopy. The other stars wonderfully illustrate how photospheric temperature affects the shape of the spectrum and the expression of elemental absorption lines, ranging from 18,000 Kelvin (spectral type B3) down to 5,200 Kelvin (spectral type K0). Cassiopeia is a beautiful constellation both visually and spectroscopically.

Files associated with this observation

cassiopeia_spectra annotated.png (194.0 kB)

Like this image

Ray Emery, David Swan, Dr Andrew Smith, Jeremy Shears, Peter Mulligan, Dean Ashton, Graham Winstanley, john simpson, Callum Potter, David Basey, Andy Wilson, Peter Carson, Tony Rodda, John Coffin, Alun Halsey, Derek Robson, Steve Knight

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