Chromatic aberration in optical systems; the separation of light into different colors causing color fringing in lenses.
From 'chromatic' + '-ism' (suffix for systems/conditions). Emerged in 19th-century optics as scientists studied how white light disperses through imperfect lenses.
Chromatism in telescope lenses was a huge problem—the red and blue light would separate slightly, creating colored halos around stars that made viewing blurry until achromatic lenses were invented.
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