Starlight

Part of Hall of the Universe.

Starlight_HERO AMNH/D. Finnin

The stars are so far away that, even with the best telescopes, they generally appear as just points of light. Astronomers analyze this light in exacting detail. Every kind of light- radio, microwave, infrared, visible, ultraviolet, x-ray, and gamma-ray- carries valuable information about a star’s physical properties.

A large orange circle graphic showing dynamics of hydrogen and helium.
the spectrum of starlight
fingerprints of the stars
below the fusion boundary - brown dwarfs