What does color temp mean?

[Keith Rogers]

I suppose my confusion is a product of studying physics at Uni, but to me the color temperature of a source is the spectrum of a black body radiator at that temp. This spectrum is reproducable and unambigous. Since mitras isn't remotely capable of producing anything like a black body spectrum at any color temp, what does the estimated color temp in light composer mean?

Further, by fiddling with the channel sliders one can arrive at multiple settings which report a color temp of X. I'm not sure what to make of that. Come to think of it, I wonder what would happen if I tried to save different settings that come up X into the pool of predefined color temps in the right hand box. Something to try tonight.

[Antipodes]

Yes you are partially correct.
This Wiki article has some info on the correlation between perceived colour and colour temperature versus a black body radiator (i.e. the sun)
But as you have been studying this, it is all old hat.