AST 3110 Study Guide - Final Guide: Observable Universe, Globular Cluster, Stellar Atmosphere
Document Summary
Main sequence a series of star types to which most stars belong, represented on a hertzsprung-russell diagram as a continuous band extending from the upper left (hot, bright stars) to the lower right (cool, dim stars). White dwarf a small very dense star that is typically the size of a planet. A white dwarf is formed when a low- mass star has exhausted all its central nuclear fuel and lost its outer layers as a planetary nebula. Red giant a very large star of high luminosity and low surface temperature. Red giants are thought to be in a late stage of evolution when no hydrogen remains in the core to fuel nuclear fusion. Supernova a star that suddenly increases greatly in brightness because of a catastrophic explosion that ejects most of its mass. Neutron star a celestial object of very small radius (typically 18 miles/30 km) and very high density, composed predominantly of closely packed neutrons.
