Spectrum analysis and its application to science

Abstract

At the monthly meeting in March, 1863, I brought before the Members of the Society some notes relative to the researches and early investigations into the phenomena and history of prismatic analysis. At that time the researches of Professor Kirchoff, and Bunsen's appliances for the examination of colored flames, were but little known. Spectroscopes were scarce, and had not been introduced into the colony, consequently the only way of illustrating the paper was by means of colored drawings and some scientific apparatus. Many important discoveries have, however, been made since that period, especially from the results of Spectrum Analysis applied to the heavenly bodies,