Labels:crt screen | monitor | web site | window OCR: Dictionary 01 Astronomy Contents Index Back History absorption line sharp dip in intensity over narrow wavelength range ir continuous spectrum spectrum produced typical spectrograph, ir which the light passes through narrow before being dispersed, absorption lines have the appearance lines cutting across at right angles to the direction of dispersion Absorption lines are characteristic of the spectra of the majority of stars In the case of the Sun, they are known Fraunhofer lines. Atoms are able radiation number of precise wavelengths The wavelengths at which absorption occurs are different for each chemical element, making possible to identify the elements present in star or other celestial body analysing which spectral lines are present. The strengtr of the lines can be used to deduce th ...