The night sky attracts a curious look with flickering celestial bodies - stars. How often a wish is made at the sight of a shooting star. Although their number in the Universe is approaching 100 quintillion, nevertheless, scientists have a question about the life expectancy of luminous celestial bodies.
Star named Sun
In all respects, the Sun is a typical star that illuminates the Earth for about five billion years and will shine as much according to scientific studies. The duration of the glow of the Sun is affected by the amount of fuel in the heavenly body.
In fact, in all stars thermonuclear fusion reactions occur, due to which the visual glow of the body is observed. The synthesis process occurs as a result of reactions in the hot nuclei of stars, where the temperature index reaches 20 million ° C (20000273.15 kelvin).
Relative to temperature, the degrees of reactions occurring in the nucleus are distinguished in many cases due to the color of the surface of the star. The color of the coldest stars is red, with a reaction temperature in the core of up to 3500 K. Yellow stars, viewed through binoculars, have a core temperature of up to 5500 K, and blue stars from 10, 000 to 50, 000 K.
The rate of energy release in a star and its lifespan
The life of stars begins in the form of a cloud formation consisting of dust and gas. In such a formation, the combustion of hydrogen begins, the production of helium. When hydrogen burns out completely, the subsequent processes of the stages of formation of the celestial body start, like the burning of helium, where the heavier elements are obtained as a result.
It is the temperature index of the star’s burning, as well as the gravitational pressure of the outer layers, that affects the rate of energy release by the body, which is directly related to its total lifespan. The above parameters of combustion and external pressure, followed by a general increase in the mass of the celestial body, increase. Hence, the rate of energy production increases, and consequently, the observed luminosity of stars.
Stars with a massive cubic weight burn their own nuclear fuel much faster, only for several million years, while being the brightest celestial bodies. Low-mass bodies more economically burn hydrogen and consume their fuel more economically, so they can live even longer than the Universe. Although the luminosity of low-mass stars is small and has low energy release, their life can reach up to 15 billion years.
