Question:

Hydrogen line spectrum and star shifts???

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I notice the hydrogen line in the spectrum of an A star has a wavelength of 657 nm, even though this line has a wavelength of 656 nm in the lab on Earth. What does this shift tell us about the star?

The star is moving towards us with a velocity of about 300 km/sec.

The star is about 100 parsecs away from us.

The star is more than 1000 parsecs away from us.

The star is moving away from us with a velocity of about 300 km/sec

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3 ANSWERS


  1. As the wavelength is longer (by 1ns) that means the star is moving away from us and its light would be ever so slightly move towards the blue end of the spectrum. As the last answer is the only one that would fit (and without doing the math), I say answer 4.


  2. z= observed value- emitted value

         __________________________

               emitted value

       656-657

    _________

          657

    z= -00000.1

    z<0 is a blue shifted object therefore the answer is the one that states the object is moving TOWARDS you the speed is of no concern


  3. A shift in the spectrum tells us the star is moving. Towards red means moving away, towards blue means moving towards us.

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