Spectrum

The other day I blogged about an optical phenomena I could not fully explain.

I have no problem explaining this one. Again this is in my home office. But this time the cause is obvious. A prism sitting one of a pair of desktop speakers.

Standing on the shoulder of a giant as it were, Sir Issac Newton, we understand how light is refracted by wavelength. The really cool thing about spectra is that it can be used to determine the chemical make up  as well as the speed of objects in the universe.  Sir Issac would surely be amazed but probably not surprised.

If you look closely the writing on the prism stand reads, "Edmund Scientific Barrington, N.J." I bought it on my first and only visit to this legendary optics supplier. Alas, I visited during the store closing sale. So while I missed it's heyday I have a bit of it on my desk, still functioning after all these years.