Wien's Law Calculator (Peak Wavelength from Temperature)
Enter a temperature to find where its thermal glow peaks.
Your numbers
Your results
Peak wavelength (nm)
Peak wavelength (nm)
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Temperature (K)
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Temperature (°C)
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Region of the spectrum
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Wien's Law Calculator (Peak Wavelength from Temperature) by TheCalcTools
How the Wien's Law Calculator (Peak Wavelength from Temperature) works
A hot object’s thermal radiation is brightest at a wavelength inversely proportional to its absolute temperature: λmax = b ÷ T, with b = 2.897771955 × 10⁻³ m·K.
The Sun (about 5,772 K at the surface) peaks near 502 nm, in the visible. A person (about 310 K) peaks near 9.3 µm in the infrared, which thermal cameras detect.
The formula
λmax = b ÷ T, b = 2.897771955 × 10⁻³ m·K
Worked example
Using the default values shown in the calculator:
| Find | Peak wavelength from temperature |
|---|---|
| Temperature (K) | 5772 |
| Peak wavelength (nm) | 500 |
- At 5,772 K the peak is at 502.0 nm (Visible light).
Result:
| Peak wavelength (nm) | 502.0 |
|---|---|
| Temperature (K) | 5,772.0 |
| Temperature (°C) | 5,498.9 |
| Region of the spectrum | Visible light |
Frequently asked questions
Why do hotter stars look blue?
Their peak moves to shorter wavelengths, toward blue and ultraviolet.
Sources and further reading
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