HR Diagram

HR Diagram

The Main Sequence

The main sequence is defined by the HR diagram movement of a star fusing hydrogen into helium within its core, and understanding the relationship between the luminosity, temperature, radius and mass of stars on the main sequence allows us to derive useful information from a star's location on it.

HR Diagram

Stellar Death – High Mass Stars

High mass stars have a more stable evolution from one fusion process to the next. As iron fills the core, the star begins to implode and fall into itself. There are two types of supernovae, based on the hydrogen content.

HR Diagram

HR Diagram and Star Clusters

Clusters (which come in open, associations, and globular varieties) provide the best means for us to compare theories to actual stellar evolution and can be studied via photometry and spectroscopy.