A raw spectrum obtained with FORS

A long, narrow slit isolates a small strip of sky. On this image, the slit is vertical. The spectrograph then splits the light from the slit into its individual colours, each point of the slit forming a horizontal rainbow. In this spectrum, the light from a distant galaxy appears as a faint horizontal line, peppered with bright dots corresponding to the colours emitted by the gas in the galaxy.

Credit:

ESO

About the Image

Id:fors2_spectrum
Type:Observation
Release date:9 April 2014, 11:42
Size:2036 x 2068 px

About the Object

Name:FORS2
Type:Unspecified : Technology : Observatory : Instrument
Category:Paranal

Image Formats

Large JPEG
2.5 MB
Screensize JPEG
389.0 KB

Zoomable


Wallpapers

1024x768
337.6 KB
1280x1024
602.7 KB
1600x1200
988.6 KB
1920x1200
1.3 MB
2048x1536
1.8 MB

Colours & filters

BandTelescope
Very Large Telescope
FORS2