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Stars are incredible, astronomical phenomena. They spark questions and ignite the imagination. Mystery surrounds everything about stars, including the star that is the sun to stars that fall in the nighttime sky. So much about stars remains unknown that you can almost make them out to be whatever you want.
But what remains unknown about stars? What have scientists discovered? What do people want to know?
Here is some information about stars and their wondrous place in the universe.
The Wonder of Stars
The universe, or all of space and time, comprises “planets, moons, stars, galaxies, and the contents of intergalactic space”. It contains all the matter and energy in existence. Its size is unknown, but scientists – known as cosmologists – believe it is still expanding outward.
Cosmology studies the origin and future of the universe. Telescopes, satellites, and computer models gather data and assist cosmologists in the study and interpretation of the universe. Cosmologists can get a better understanding of our current universe by way of new discoveries, but can also begin to comprehend what the past universe was like, and what it might be in the future.
But what about stars? Where are stars in the universe? Where do they come from and do they really die?
Stars often belong to a galaxy, or a large group of stars, dust and gas in space. Galaxies can be any size and shape, with the largest containing more than a trillion stars, and the smallest containing a few million. The universe hosts hundreds of billions of galaxies in the universe.
The three types of galaxies include: spiral galaxies, elliptical galaxies, and irregular galaxies.
Scientists and cosmologists used to believe all stars belonged to a galaxy, but in 1997, this hypothesis was disproved upon the discovery of intergalactic stars – stars that once belonged to a galaxy, but are no longer a part of it.
The Bright Color of Stars
Stars project brightness into the nighttime sky, and sometimes even a faint color. But how do they do this?
Stars are trillions of kilometers away from our planet, and are made of expansive, blazing, scintillating balls of gas. Through a process called nuclear fusion, stars produce light and energy on their own.
So how do stars get their color?
Different types of gas make up a star which has two parts: the core and the outer gaseous layer. The color of a star depends on the temperature of the star’s outer layer.
A scientific phenomenon known as apparent magnitude is how bright a light appears. Absolute magnitude is its actual brightness. While most people thought a star’s brightness was dependent on its distance from Earth, that is not true.
A star’s brightness is based on its energy output, or size.
Scientists and astronomers calculate a star’s absolute magnitude by using a star’s apparent magnitude and its distance from Earth.
The Life of a Star
Stars are born in what’s called nebulae. A nebula consists of 97% hydrogen and 3% helium. Gravity gathers the gas and dust together into a sphere called a protostar. Hydrogen atoms then merge together to form helium, thereby giving off energy. A star is said to be born at the exact moment nuclear fusion begins.
A star’s size is dependent upon the nebula’s available matter. Once the star stops growing, it becomes a main sequence star. The star’s initial mass determines how long the star is a main sequence star, and how long the star will actually live.
