This article presents a Python script to map a spectrum of wavelengths to a representation of a colour. There is no unique way to do this, but the formulation used here is based on the CIE colour matching functions, x¯(λ) x ¯ (λ), y¯(λ) y ¯ (λ) and z¯(λ) z ¯ (λ).

See the visible light spectrum wavelengths and colors. Learn about colors beyond the visible spectrum and how our eyes see them.

This simple script can convert reflective/transmissive spectra to color and plot it in the CIE 1931 diagram.

Presume that I have a spectrum as a function of wavelength (an example being the blackbody spectrum): I want to convert that to a single RGB color to display on-screen, i.e. the "color" of that object as it would appear to the eye.

By scientifically establishing our visible spectrum (the colors we see in a rainbow), Newton laid the path for others to experiment with color in a scientific manner. His work led to breakthroughs in optics, physics, chemistry, perception, and the study of color in nature.