In measuring a spectral irradiance distribution of light, light is irradiated to n (natural number) light-transit sections, which respectively have n kinds of given optical characteristic coefficients, and s (natural number) optical sensors, which respectively have s kinds of given spectral sensitivities, receive the light via the n light-transit sections and detects individual responses for the received light. Then a calculating section calculates m (natural number) spectral irradiances for m kinds of wavelengths as a spectral irradiance distribution based on linear formulae established between the optical characteristic coefficients, the spectral sensitivities, (n×s) responses for the light obtained by the s optical sensors, and the spectral irradiance distribution of the light.