A STIS absorption spectrum
A beam of light coming to Earth from a distant quasar passes through numerous intervening gas clouds in galaxies and in intergalactic space. These clouds of primeval hydrogen subtract specific colours from the beam. The resulting 'absorption spectrum, ' recorded by Hubbles Space Telescope Imaging Spectrograph (STIS) is used to determine the distances and chemical composition of the invisible clouds.
Credit:About the Image
NASA press release
NASA caption
NASA caption
Id: | opo9841r |
Type: | Artwork |
Release date: | 23 November 1998, 21:00 |
Size: | 800 x 600 px |
About the Object
Name: | STIS |
Type: | Unspecified : Galaxy : Activity : AGN : Quasar Unspecified : Technology : Observatory : Telescope |
Category: | Quasars and Black Holes |