How did Cecilia Helena Payne-gaposchkin discover the composition of the universe?
After two years of unremitting effort, Payne built a temperature scale for stars versus their absorption intensities allowing her to calculate the abundances of chemical elements. She was amazed when she discovered: regardless of spectral type, stars all had similar compositions.
Why did Henry Norris Russell reject Cecilia Payne’s thesis?
Payne had a better knowledge of atomic spectra than most astronomers at the time. Payne concluded that, unlike on Earth, hydrogen and helium are the dominant elements of the Sun and stars. Henry Norris Russell strongly opposed this conclusion and convinced her to omit it from her thesis.
What was the name of the woman who discovered that the spectral class system was actually a temperature scale?
Cecilia Payne, who studied the new science of quantum physics, knew that the pattern of features in the spectrum of any atom was determined by the configuration of its electrons. She also knew that at high temperatures, one or more electrons are stripped from the atoms, which are then called ions.
Where did Cecilia Payne-gaposchkin go to school?
Harvard University1923–1925Radcliffe College1925Newnham College, University of Cambridge1919–1922St Paul’s Girls’ School1918–1919
Why is Cecilia Payne-gaposchkin important?
7, 1979, Cambridge, Mass., U.S.), British-born American astronomer who discovered that stars are made mainly of hydrogen and helium and established that stars could be classified according to their temperatures. Payne entered the University of Cambridge in 1919.
What is the universe made of Cecilia Payne?
| Cecilia Payne-Gaposchkin | |
|---|---|
| Known for | Explanation of stellar spectra and composition of the Sun, more than 3,000,000 observations of variable stars |
| Awards | Annie Jump Cannon Award in Astronomy (1934), Rittenhouse Medal (1961), Award of Merit from Radcliffe College (1952), Henry Norris Russell Prize (1976) |
| Scientific career | |
Who discovered what stars are?
Cecilia Helena Payne-Gaposchkin
Who devised the stellar classification scheme we still use today?
The scheme in use today is the Harvard spectral classification scheme which was developed at Harvard college observatory in the late 1800s, and refined to its present incarnation by Annie Jump Cannon for publication in 1924.
What are the 7 types of stars?
There are seven main types of stars. In order of decreasing temperature, O, B, A, F, G, K, and M. O and B stars are uncommon but very bright; M stars are common but dim..
What are the three types of stellar spectra?
The three types of spectra are shown in the diagram below: continuous, emission line and absorption line.
What can we learn from looking at Stellar Spectra?
From spectral lines astronomers can determine not only the element, but the temperature and density of that element in the star. The spectral line also can tell us about any magnetic field of the star. The width of the line can tell us how fast the material is moving. We can learn about winds in stars from this.
What is a late type star?
A star with a surface temperature cooler than the Sun, with a spectral type K, M, C, or S; G stars are often included as well. Late-type stars can be either of low mass, if they are on the main sequence, or more massive than the Sun if they are giants or supergiants.
Which star has the biggest radius?
UY Scuti
Which is the hottest star in the universe?
The Wolf-Rayet star WR 102 is the hottest star known, at 210,000 K.
What is older than the universe?
Our Sun is about 4.5 billion years old. Since HD 140283 is a Population II star, it is older. In fact, it is the oldest star with a well-determined age. Because of this, astronomers colloquially call the star “the Methuselah star.” Initial estimates of its age were in excess of 14 billion years.
Which star has the shortest life expectancy?
red dwarfs