An astronomer discovers a new star and wants to measure its temperature. She would typically do this by:
A) measuring the Doppler shift of its spectral lines
B) making a blackbody curve and finding the wavelength of the peak (maximum)
C) measuring the intensity of radio waves the star gives off
D) measuring how much light the star reflects
E) sending a graduate student with a very long (and durable) thermometer to the star's vicinity

Question

Quizplus · Accepted Answer

The best way to measure the temperature of a star is to create a blackbody curve of its spectrum and find the wavelength at which the curve peaks. This peak wavelength corresponds to the temperature of the star's photosphere.

An Astronomer Discovers a New Star and Wants to Measure