A spectroscopy method and system, the method comprising irradiating an object with a laser-accelerated particle beam and detecting photons emitted by the object as a result of the interaction between the laser-accelerated particle beam and the object. The system comprises a laser; a particle source, positioned at a distance from the object; and a spectrometer and a detector; wherein the particle source generates a laser-accelerated particle beam under irradiation by the laser; and the spectrometer and the detector detect photons emitted from the object under irradiation by the laser-accelerated particle beam.