Abstract: Examples of a spectroscopy system with a specially design ambient illumination system are disclosed. The ambient illumination system comprises one or more light emitting diodes (LEDs) that provide illumination light in the wavelength of 400-785 nm. The ambient illumination system can further comprise a filter to block light above 785 nm. The filter can be placed directly in front of LED emitters. The LEDs can be white LEDs or RGB LEDs. The spectroscopy system can further comprise a control system that can receive a signal from the spectral probe when the spectral measurements commence and can instantaneously send a signal to automatically switch off the ambient illumination system and to receive a signal from the spectral probe when the spectral measurements are terminated and automatically switch on the ambient illumination system. Examples of methods of operating the spectroscopy system and the ambient illumination system are disclosed.