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The images above are two representations of the emission spectrum of the sun. (Left (source)) High resolution visible spectrum of the sun's emitted light, where each row represents 60 nm of wavelength. The dark lines are due to absorption of emitted light by elements in the sun's atmosphere. (Right (source)) UV-Vis-IR spectrum as detected at the top of the earth's atmosphere and at sea level. This figure shows the overall shape of the solar spectrum as we receive it on earth. Despite infrared absorption bands due to H2O and other atmospheric molecules the spectrum is close to that predicted by the Planck radiation law. In this course we will study the physics that gives rise to virtually every detail of this spectrum -- from the elemental absorption lines to the Planck law to the infrared atmospheric bands.