Caption: The solar spectrum from the Earth's surface in image format (i.e., as the human eye sees it, NOT as an intensity plot) when strongly dispersed.
The spectrum is spread out on a wraparound line.
It is approximately a blackbody spectrum of temperature 5772 K (which is the effective temperature of the solar photosphere: see Wikipedia: Sun) with absorption lines from the Sun and Earth's atmosphere superimposed.
Yours truly is sort of a spectroscopist---but NOT a good one---the only absorption line yours truly is pretty sure of is the strong red Hα line of the hydrogen Balmer lines. Yours truly thinks the two strong yellow absorption lines may be the sodium D lines (AKA Na I doublet) which also provide the near monochromatic light of sodium-vapor lamps (see Wikipedia: Sodium-vapor lamp: Low-pressure sodium).
Credit/Permission: ©
N.A.Sharp, NOAO/NSO/Kitt Peak FTS/AURA/NSF,
NOAO/AURA /
NOAO/AURA Image Library Conditions of Use.
Download link:
N.A.Sharp, NOAO/NSO/Kitt Peak FTS/AURA/NSF.
Image link: Itself.
Local file: local link: solar_spectrum_image.html.
File: Sun file:
solar_spectrum_image.html.