Star Formation
The third stage of star formation
Protostar
Stars typically turn this color during their giant phase
Red
Our Sun falls into this spectral classification
G-class
High-mass stars become this type of star during their giant phase
Supergiants
Due to this law of physics, neutron stars must all be rotating incredibly quickly.
Law of conservation of angular momentum
A ring of material that forms from gas and dust orbiting a protostar and eventually becomes planets.
Protostellar Disk
Despite most of the star expanding during the giant phase, this region of the star actually contracts
The Core
White Dwarf
This explosion results from the collapse of a high-mass star
Supernova
This is when time slows down relative to a distant observer when you are close to a black hole
Time Dilation
This structure blocks all visible light emitted by a protostar and forces us to observe them in the infrared.
Cocoon Nebula
This region of a star generates a surplus of energy from fusion and causes the star to grow to massive size.
Hydrogen-burning Shell
This is the longest-living type of star and won't begin to evolve for trillions of years after it's born
If the core of a star is over 3 solar masses after a supernova, then it will collapse into this object.
Black Hole
This type of black is extremely large and is theorized to inhabit the core of most galaxies
Supermassive Black Hole
This property of giant molecular clouds typically keeps them from collapsing due to their own gravity
Thermal Energy
This nuclear reaction begins in the middle of the giant phase and temporarily reduces the size of the star
Triple-alpha process
This is the heaviest element that low-mass stars can generate
Carbon
Once the core fully fuses into this element, fusion will stop and the star will collapse
Iron
This is the radius you need to compress an object in order to turn it into a black hole
Schwarzschild Radius
The early stage of dense core contraction where the speed of contraction is solely dictated by gravity
Free-fall collapse
This red supergiant is found at the left shoulder of Orion and it one of the brightest stars in the night sky
Betelgeuse
When the degenerate core of a low-mass star reaches 100 million degrees, this process will begin and cause a significant portion of the Helium in the core to fuse all at once.
Helium Flash
This element is fused in the core of high-mass stars after Carbon but before Oxygen
Neon
This explosion results from the merger of two neutron stars and is thought to be the source of many heavy elements found on Earth
Kilonova