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The Spectral Classification of Stars over the last 200, 100, 75 years and in the future

Published online by Cambridge University Press:  01 April 2019

Christopher J. Corbally  and
Richard O. Gray
Christopher J. Corbally
Affiliation:
Vatican Observatory, University of Arizona, Tucson, AZ 85721, USA email: [email protected]
Richard O. Gray
Affiliation:
Dept. of Physics & Astronomy, Appalachian State University, Boone, NC 28608, USA email: [email protected]
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Abstract

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This year 2018 has great historical and current significance for stellar spectral classification. Two hundred years ago in Reggio Emilia, Italy, was born Angelo Secchi, a pioneer of observing and classifying the spectra of stars. At the beginning of the IAU, almost a hundred years ago, one of its original Commissions was entitled the Spectral Classification of Stars, from which was generated Commission 45, Spectral Classification and Multi-band Colour Indices. And seventy-five years ago, was published the system-changing MKK, An Atlas of Stellar Spectra. Through this necessarily brief, historical view we shall recall how spectral classification, supported internationally by the IAU, continually updated its techniques, while remaining anchored to standards. This has ensured that the MK classification process stays very relevant to the initial characterizing of stars in the 21st century era of large spectral surveys.

Keywords

History and philosophy of astronomytechniques: spectroscopicstars: fundamental parametersstars: atmospheresstars: evolutionthe Galaxy: stellar contentgalaxies: abundancesgalaxies: stellar content
Type
Contributed Papers
Information
Proceedings of the International Astronomical Union , Volume 13 , Symposium S349: Under One Sky: The IAU Centenary Symposium , December 2018 , pp. 489 - 493
Copyright
Copyright © International Astronomical Union 2019 

References

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