Episode 1 of 4
Spectroscopic Analysis
- When
- 1858
- Where
- Florence Observatory
- Part of
- Discovery of Comet Donati
Donati used spectroscopy to determine the comet's gaseous composition, noting changes as it approached the Sun.
Donati used spectroscopy to determine the physical composition of comets. He observed that the spectrum changed as the comet approached the Sun, indicating heating caused emission of its own light. He concluded that comets are at least partly gaseous.
Sources
- Giovanni Battista Donati Wikipedia, revision of 2026-08-29
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