a star’s life che’ y. middlebrooks february 27,2008 intro to astronomy dr. rulison
TRANSCRIPT
A Star’s LifeChe’ Y. Middlebrooks
February 27,2008Intro to Astronomy
Dr. Rulison
What Is A Star?
Stars technically are little balls of fuel that we happen to see in the sky. They are luminous balls of plasma.
Stars are made out of fuel. The fuels that make up stars are Hydrogen & Helium.
Sometimes stars contain other components such as Oxygen, Nitrogen and Carbon.
The Birth Of A Star
A star is born by a large cloud of gas and dust. A nebula. At this stage a star is a protostar . This stage takes 21 light years.
While in this stage the star will start to form its shape . The temperature will begin to rise then nuclear fusion will shortly take place . After nuclear fusion, the main sequence will take place.
The Birth Of A Star Continued
Nuclear fusion is the process in which the star’s gases produce heat and pressure.
The pressure comes together with the gases and makes more massive energy.
Early Life- Protostar
Life of A Star-Main Sequence
After nuclear fusion the main sequence takes place. The main sequence is when the star radiates and travels through space, This is able to happen because four hydrogen atoms fused together to make one helium nucleus. As the star travels it loses energy. A star will spend 90% of its life in this stage.
Pictures of Nuclear Fusion
Death Of A Star
The death of a star occurs once the main sequence is over. In death the star will use all of its hydrogen and will only be left with helium.
The star then becomes a red giant or a red super giant.
Eventually the star will stop producing fuel.Last, when a few hundred years go by the star
will cool off so much that it becomes a white dwarf. After the star has become really cool and dim with very little luminosity it is known as a black dwarf.
Super Nova
A Supernova is a stellar explosion during which a star suddenly increases its brightness. This always occurs at the end of a stars lifetime. After the explosion the star is launched into interstellar space.
Stages of Supernova
Enjoy!
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