Abstract: A method of analyzing an optical image of a scene to determine the spectral intensity of each pixel of the scene, which includes collecting incident light from the scene; (b) passing the light through an interferometer which outputs modulated light corresponding to a predetermined set of linear combinations of the spectral intensity of the light emitted from each pixel; focusing the light outputted from the interferometer on a detector array; and processing the output of the detector array to determine the spectral intensity of each pixel thereof. If the interferometer is of the moving type scanning in one dimension is required where the detector array is one dimensional, and no scanning when the detector array is two-dimensional. If the interferometer is of the non-moving type scanning is required in one dimension when the detector array is two-dimensional, and in two dimensions when the detector array is one-dimensional.