The splitting of spectral lines into multiple components when atoms are placed in a magnetic field. This effect allows astronomers to measure magnetic field strengths in stars, planets, and interstellar space by analyzing how spectral lines are broadened or split.
Named after Dutch physicist Pieter Zeeman, who discovered this phenomenon in 1896 and shared the Nobel Prize in Physics in 1902. The effect provided early evidence for the magnetic properties of atoms and electrons.
The Zeeman effect turns spectral lines into cosmic magnetometers! Just like a compass needle aligns with Earth's magnetic field, electrons in atoms respond to magnetic fields by changing their energy levels slightly, creating a magnetic fingerprint that astronomers can read from millions of miles away.
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