Rigel,the bright star in the knee of Orion,has a surface temperature of about 12,000 K.Through which filter will it appear brightest? (See Figure 10-4,Comins,Discovering the Essential Universe,6th ed.)

Question

Quizplus · Accepted Answer

Rigel's temperature is much hotter than the temperature of the sun (around 5,500 K), which means that its peak radiation will be at shorter wavelengths. The peak of its black-body spectrum is actually in the ultraviolet region, which means it will appear brightest through an ultraviolet filter.

Rigel,the Bright Star in the Knee of Orion,has a Surface