that the chemical composition of laboratory samples
can be identified by their spectral lines,
that helium, caesium, rubidium,
neon, and argon exist,
and that the sun, the stars, and the nebulae
are composed of the same elements as the earth.
Spectral analysis
The humanist believes
each human being is unique
including human beings like me
—like each snowflake
—each piece of popcorn.
But convert those flakes or kernels to a gas
and get their spectral signatures—
anyone can see
they’re all the same.
Joseph von Fraunhofer was an orphan apprentised to a
glassmaker. His workhouse collapsed and he was buried in the
rubble, but he was rescued by Prince Maximilian Joseph, who
subsequently ensured that Joseph was treated better and could
continue his education.
Early opticians ground their own lenses; von Fraunhofer
constructed his own furnace, invented and made his own glass,
designed and built machines for grinding and polishing lenses, and
designed his own optical instruments. He designed and built
telescopes and microscopes, and he invented the spectroscope.
Like the other glassmakers of his time, he was poisoned by
heavy metal vapors and died young.
The absorption lines in the solar spectrum are still named Fraunhafer
lines.
Joseph von Fraunhofer was an orphan apprentised to a glassmaker. His workhouse collapsed and he was buried in the rubble, but he was rescued by Prince Maximilian Joseph, who subsequently ensured that Joseph was treated better and could continue his education.
Early opticians ground their own lenses; von Fraunhofer constructed his own furnace, invented and made his own glass, designed and built machines for grinding and polishing lenses, and designed his own optical instruments. He designed and built telescopes and microscopes, and he invented the spectroscope.
Like the other glassmakers of his time, he was poisoned by heavy metal vapors and died young.
The absorption lines in the solar spectrum are still named Fraunhafer lines.
See also in The book of science:
Readings on wikipedia: