Lyman-alpha line (source code)

= Lyman-alpha line
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{title2=$\lambda_\alpha\simeq1216\,\text{Å}$}
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= Ly-alpha line
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The <Lyman-alpha line> is the <hydrogen> $2p\leftrightarrow1s$ electric-dipole transition, with photon energy about $10.2\,\mathrm{eV}$ and vacuum wavelength about $1216$ angstroms. Its emission cools collisionally excited gas, while absorption traces neutral <hydrogen> along a background-source sightline.