MYSTERY OBJECTS

[chinatyke]

What is this?



About 8cms diameter.

[Big Kev]

Solar fag lighter?

[Stanley]

I'm trying to weigh up whether it is emitting or receiving. If an emitter it looks like a small electric heater. If it's receiving it could be solar energy but it's so small I can't think what it could be for. Heating small bread rolls?

[chinatyke]

Well, that lasted 25 minutes. Well done, Kev.

First time I'd seen one.

[Big Kev]

Well, that lasted 25 minutes. Well done, Kev.

First time I'd seen one.

I only saw one on Ebay a couple of days ago, I wouldn't have had a clue otherwise

[Tizer]

Well I never...whatever next. Well done, Kev!

Now, what's this?

[Stanley]

It isn't a wall built by a drunken brickie. Could be the graphic representation of a trace reading a source of light?

[chinatyke]

A spectrum from a distant star? The dark bands mark absorption bands in the stars atmosphere and represent elements. I'm waffling...

[Big Kev]

Is it a spectostrophy thing? Refracted light through a prism?

[Tizer]

Good answers straight off! Stanley was well on the way and China pinned it down with his `star' and `dark bands mark absorption bands in the stars atmosphere and represent elements'. Kev tidied it up with his attempt at spectroscopy but I think his `spectostrophy' sounds like the surgical removal of someone's glasses! I'll add that the star in question is the Sun but China was correct because to me it's a distant start even though it's our closest one by a long way!

Ignoring the dark bands I still have a final question - it doesn't look quite like a normal spectrum - why is it different?

[Big Kev]

Kev tidied it up with his attempt at spectroscopy but I think his `spectostrophy' sounds like the surgical removal of someone's glasses!

fat fingers...

[Big Kev]

Ignoring the dark bands I still have a final question - it doesn't look quite like a normal spectrum - why is it different?

Not all the colours are there, I had to Google why. Because certain gases will absorb different 'colours' so they're not visible.

[Stanley]

Not much yellow?

[plaques]

Know nothing about specsaverostrophy but this looks like its a bit of the visible white light spectrum with the colours representing the wave lengths. I've no idea of the difference between ground level and spaceship spectums or should that be spectra? Then there is doppler shift. All too complicated for my meager brain. Where's Ian when we need him?

[Stanley]

Sunbathing and skinny dipping at Knight Stainton!

[Tizer]

I'll put you out of your misery because the difference from a normal spectrum isn't technical, it's just a requirement due to the high resolution of the measurement. The astronomers describe it as a `fingerprint of the Sun' and the spectrum is so long that it has to be split into lots of separate strips and is displayed as shown in the photo. So you're seeing the complete visible spectrum of the Sun in one rectangle suitable for display rather than in a very long strip like an unrolled tape measure. You can imagine all those strips being placed end to end starting from top right and ending bottom left. If you displayed the spectrum simply the width of a PC screen you wouldn't be able to see the dark Fraunhofer absorption bands. I copied a photo from the Popular Astronomy magazine but I've since found better versions on this web page supplied by Kitt Peak Observatory where the spectrum was recorded: Kitt Peak By the way, when you've looked at the spectrum on that page browse the web site (Fine Art America), there are some beautiful photos on there (Kev will enjoy them!).

[Big Kev]

I'll put you out of your misery because the difference from a normal spectrum isn't technical, it's just a requirement due to the high resolution of the measurement.

I'll stop waffling about absorption spectroscopy I got the spelling correct this time too

[Stanley]

What are these? Clue, this will possibly get me into trouble. Sorry in advance!

[chinatyke]

More instruments of torture from your farming days?

[Big Kev]

Definitely not farming, should stop you going blind though

[Stanley]

Kev knows what it is! If nobody comes clean today I will.....

[Stanley]

Look at THIS for the answer.

[Stanley]

That seems to have stunned the community! I shall have to find something less frightening.



What is it?

[Stanley]

No offers?

[PanBiker]

There's a lamp in the receptacle at the far end shining through a hole with a rotating disk in front. It's from some kind of scanning or optical device but the penny won't drop.