A series of ultraviolet spectral lines of hydrogen produced when electrons transition from higher energy levels (n≥2) down to the ground state (n=1). The strongest line, Lyman-alpha at 121.6 nm, is crucial for studying the early universe and intergalactic medium.
Named after American physicist Theodore Lyman, who discovered these ultraviolet hydrogen lines in 1906-1914. His work extended Balmer's discoveries into the UV range, further confirming the quantized nature of atomic energy levels.
Lyman-alpha is like the universe's baby picture! This ultraviolet line from hydrogen is so fundamental that it was one of the first types of light emitted when the universe became transparent, and today we can observe it redshifted into visible light from the most distant galaxies ever detected.
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