Solar Observations Using Spectroscopes

Abstract

Since the time of Isaac Newton (1642–1727) scientists and astronomers have been trying to come to terms with the fact that all lenses produce a spectrum. Newton’s early experimentation with prisms incorrectly led him to conclude that a glass lens would always present this spectrum of light as a chromatic aberration and was therefore of limited value to astronomical telescopes. If nothing else, this encouraged him to work on reflective optics and the “Newtonian” telescope was born.