Press Room When a gas is heated and we observe the light it emits – its spectrum, that is – we find that it produces bright lines at specific wavelengths, unique sets for each chemical element that makes up the gas, the equivalent to finger prints. Astrophysicists analyse these lines, called “emission lines”, to determine the composition and physical properties of objects in the Universe. They are used, for example, in the detection of remote objects, such as active galactic nuclei, quasars and primitive galaxies, and are fundamental in the study of star formation and metallicity in galaxies
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