A stellar classification system based on surface temperature and spectral characteristics, using letters O, B, A, F, G, K, M from hottest to coolest. Each type shows distinct patterns of absorption lines in the star's spectrum.
From Latin 'spectrum' (appearance, image) + 'typus' (from Greek 'typos', meaning impression or model). The modern system was developed at Harvard Observatory in the early 1900s by Annie Jump Cannon and colleagues.
The spectral type system is like a stellar fingerprint database - each star's spectrum tells us not just its temperature, but also its composition, age, and fate! The famous mnemonic 'Oh Be A Fine Girl/Guy, Kiss Me' helps astronomers remember the sequence from the hottest blue giants to the coolest red dwarfs.
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