Spectroscopy is a way of analyzing light by splitting it into a rainbow of colors called a spectrum. Studying the spectrum closely, scientists can see dark gaps in the colors. Those gaps help determine which chemical elements make up an object. The Hubble Space Telescope (and soon the James Webb Space Telescope) uses spectrographic instruments to study distant objects in space and determine the compositions of galaxies, stars, and planets. Credit: J. Olmsted (STScI) | NASA's James Webb Space Tel

Who needs a spaceship when you have the power of spectroscopy to learn about distant stars and planets? Spectroscopy is a way of analyzing light by splitting it into a rainbow of colors called a spectrum 🌈. Gaps in the spectrum help astronomers learn about the chemical elements an object is made of. The James Webb Space Telescope will use spectrographs, instruments used in spectroscopy, to study star formation and the chemical composition of young, distant galaxies, among many other targets. Sp