A spectrograph — sometimes called a spectroscope or spectrometer — breaks the light from a single material into its component colors the way a prism splits white light into a rainbow. It records this spectrum, which allows scientists to analyze the light and discover properties of the material interacting with it.

What does a spectroscope do to scientists?

Spectroscopy can be very useful in helping scientists understand how an object like a black hole, neutron star, or active galaxy produces light, how fast it is moving, and what elements it is composed of. Spectra can be produced for any energy of light, from low-energy radio waves to very high-energy gamma rays.

Do scientists use spectroscopes to study space?

New Worlds - Spectroscopy. Using special equipment like a spectrograph or a spectroscope, astronomers can split light from space into a spectrum and examine its spectral lines to infer what compounds are emitted or absorbed.