Facts on the Sun & Blue Stars
There are many interesting facts about the sun and blue stars. The sun is important to us because it provides heat and energy for the Earth. The sun is also the center of our solar system. Blue stars are found in our universe and are some of the hottest stars.
Other People Are Reading
-
History
-
The Big Bang theory is a way to explain how the universe started. Astronomers have discovered that our universe began around 13.7 billion years ago. There is no definitive way to explain the event that created the universe, but through intense pressure, and extreme heat and cold, our universe was created.
Creation of the Sun and Blue Stars
-
Along with the universe being created during the Big Bang, the sun and blue stars were made. Stars form when giant clouds of gas gather together and then collapse in upon themselves. Helium and hydrogen are formed and nuclear fission occurs at the core of the star. This process continues for the life of the star. Eventually, the mass becomes unstable and the star will explode, which is called a supernova.
-
The Sun
-
The outside layer of the sun, called the photosphere, has a temperature of 11,000 degrees F. The inner core of the sun creates solar energy and has a temperature of 27,000,000 degrees F. The core of the sun is so hot and filled with pressure that nuclear reactions take place there.
Blue Stars
-
Some of the hottest and largest stars in the universe are blue stars. The hottest stars are blue in color. Blue stars can reach external temperatures of around 40,000 degrees F. A blue giant star can produce 10,000 times more energy than the sun. A blue star burns helium.
Time Frame for the Sun
-
The sun has been burning strong for 4.6 billion years, and has enough fuel to burn for another 5 billion years. When it burns all its energy, the sun will begin to swell and eventually will swallow up the Earth and other planets. It will spend a billion years as a red giant star and then collapse into a white dwarf, which is the final stage of a star. It could take up to a trillion years for it to then cool completely.
Blue Star Life
-
The largest blue stars are blue supergiant stars with surface temperatures of 60,000 degrees F and sizes up to 25 times larger than the sun. Some supergiant blue stars can be a large as our entire solar system. Betelgeuse and Rigel are examples of supergiant stars. Because blue supergiant stars are so large, they burn their energy faster. This gives them a shorter life in comparison to the sun, around a few million years. The end of the life cycle for a blue star can be a neutron star, a black hole or complete vaporization.
-
References
Resources
- Photo Credit http://www.solarviews.com
