AST-326beginner

Stellar Spectral Types: Foundations

Stellar spectral types classify photospheres primarily by temperature through the pattern and strength of absorption lines. Spectral typing provides rapid estimates of stellar temperature and is foundational for abundance analysis, radial-velocity measurement, stellar-population studies, and the construction of H-R diagrams.

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Stellar Spectral Types: Foundations

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AST-325Mass, Luminosity, Radius & Temperature: Advanced Connections→

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AST-327Stellar Spectral Types: Structures & Vocabulary→

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Stellar spectral types classify photospheres primarily by temperature through the pattern and strength of absorption lines.

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Line strength depends not just on elemental abundance but on how temperature controls excitation and ionization.

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High-resolution stellar spectra show repeatable line patterns correlated with color and temperature.