Previous lessons have outlined stellar evolution to Helium fusion.
The lifecycle after Helium fusion depends on a star’s mass. The image to the right shows the varying layers of fusion that a star can attain depending on its mass. NOTE: Many of today’s images will come from the outstanding book Astronomy Today by Chaisson and McMillan (Pearson Prentice Hall, Inc).
The Main Sequence
The HR Diagram is used to provide a categorization of stars based upon their temperature and luminosity. When plotted, very distinct regions become apparent. In the series on the HR Diagram, this video will focus on the Main Sequence. This is where stars will spend...