Exploring the Stars in our galaxy

Every moment of every day, we are surrounded by greatness. The evidence of this can be seen by simply looking up towards the heavens above. The vastness of the sky is very deceiving, since scientists have said based on their research that the size of the universe is unimaginable.

However, for centuries, people have been enthralled by the stars, especially at nighttime when they are most visible. Groups of stars which form a particular shape, known as constellations, have been given names, such as the Big Dipper and the Little Dipper. Scientists have often said that there are billions of stars in our galaxy alone, which is just one of the many galaxies in the universe.

A star is a huge, big ball of plasma that shines brightly. We all know what the sun is, but do we actually know that it is a star? The sun, as we know, is very powerful and is the Earth’s source of energy. That alone gives us an idea as to how powerful a star can be, whether it is in terms of heat or of light. Yet in spite of all this knowledge, stars can still be wonderful to look at, even from our vantage point of millions of miles of distance.

Some people flock to public observatories or astronomy stations in order to view stars for a small fee. Even if they seem to be unmoving, some people just can't get enough satisfaction merely looking at them through powerful telescopes. Astronomers have studied and are continuing to study the stars in order to find out more information about them, since it is somewhat difficult to get quality information from objects of great distances, although it is possible.

However, you don’t necessarily need powerful telescopes in order to enjoy the stars, although it would help by making them look bigger than when viewed with the naked eye. Stargazing is a very popular activity and is sometimes required by astronomy professors. By exploring the stars, whether at home or while lying down on a grassy bank, there are shapes and images that can form while stargazing.

Astronomers explore the stars in order to learn about them, for that is their job and means of livelihood. This research that astronomers conduct thoroughly and systematically regarding stars are actually very helpful as pieces of knowledge for the common man. Without them, we will have a very limited knowledge regarding stars and perhaps other heavenly bodies. But certainly, stars are also in the heavens above for the common person to enjoy.

Exploring the stars via stargazing or even with a home astronomy kit at home (usually composed of a less powerful telescope than that at an observatory) can help you enjoy them and think about them, without the need for deeper knowledge that astronomers seek. In other words, enjoy stargazing and exploring the visible stars and be relaxed while doing so. It is wonderful to view them, especially from different angles and times, of which some groups of stars can come together to form a constellation.

You can actually point out a group or groups and name your own constellations in order to make your star exploration at home more enjoyable. You know the regular constellations, namely, the Big Dipper, Orion, Leo, etc. Perhaps your imagination can be vivid and you would notice a certain group of stars that form a recognizable shape and name them. You can even invite friends, classmates, family members, and more to make stargazing an even more enjoyable activity.

The reason why exploration of stars and other heavenly bodies enthralls humans is because of the mystery of outer space. Up until the present, scientists and astronomers have been debating about a number of issues, such as whether life exists on Mars, how the universe came into existence, whether life can survive on other planets, etc. Along with this, the typical human is intrigued by the idea of stars and how they shine brightly at night. It is also this interest and intrigue that has led people into telling fortunes based on the position of the stars (astrologers).

Exploration of the stars can be done at home. For the typical person, it is more enjoyable to do it at home without thinking too much about them. Enjoy them, for they are mysterious, but wonderful objects

The death of a star

How stars die is an interesting phenomenon although it’s quite impossible to see one happen up close. Nevertheless, a powerful imagination will enable you to imagine just how stars would die based on the following information.

What is a Star?

Before learning about the process of death for stars, it’s important to know exactly what stars are first.

A star is made up of plasma. Although it’s definitely bigger than everything on Earth, stars appear in a range of sizes so some might still be described as small while a few might be described as massive. One good example of a star is the sun, which is the center of the solar system and the source of the majority of life on our planet.

Sizes and Age

The sun, although technically huge in size, is actually considered small when compared to other stars. It also contains a lower quantity of mass than other stars, and that’s why it has continued to exist for so long. From that, you can probably derive that there’s an inversely proportional relationship between a star’s mass and its life cycle. The fewer mass a star has, the longer its life cycle and vice versa.

How Stars are Born

A nebula is always described as a cloud of dust and gas particles that when combined together forms a star. How much matter exists in its nebula will determine its mass and consequently its life cycle.

How Stars Live and Die

As time passes by, gravity will cause particles of hydrogen in the star’s nebula to form a smaller and tighter circle. Gravity will also cause the star to start spinning and proceed to spin faster and faster.

The speed of which a star is spinning will eventually cause it to transform into a protostar. When the temperature of the star hits fifteen million degrees, nuclear fusion will form within its center. Nuclear fusion is a process in which a group of larger-sized nuclei will combine together but have a lower amount of mass. Nuclear fusion is a star’s source of power or energy, and it is also what causes stars to emit electromagnetic radiation.

Because of nuclear fusion, the nebula within a star will gradually emit a bright glow. It will also diminish at the same time. After a while, a star will stabilize and transform itself into a main sequence star. This is the longest stage in a star’s life cycle, and it is also the stage where the sun is at present. During this stage, a star will be able to glow or shine for millions to billions of years depending on its mass.

Hydrogen is the cause and source of nuclear fusion, and every time it’s used, it’s being converted into helium. Stars, however, don't have an inexhaustible supply of hydrogen, and when the source of hydrogen gets exhausted, the star will naturally be unable to generate heat through nuclear fusion and consequently, electromagnetic radiation.

When this happens, the star will become unstable and start contracting once more. The external shield of a star, which is generally made up of hydrogen, will then be used to allow the star to experience nuclear fusion. But of course, this will run out in time as well. While the star is making use of its last supply of hydrogen, it will start expanding, cooling down, and turning red. The change of color then marks the next stage in a star’s life cycle: becoming a red giant. The term “red giant” is very much an apt term to describe what the star has become at this stage.

Mass and Death

Remember how it was mentioned previously that mass affects the life cycle of a star? And so it does, and this is how you can expect different types of stars to die.

For a star with a low amount of mass, the helium that it produced from nuclear fusion will be converted into carbon but causing its core to collapse eventually. When this happens, the star will shed off its external layers and this will form a planetary nebula. The star’s center, on the other hand, will transform into a white dwarf, and when its temperature goes down, it will become a black dwarf.

As for stars with high mass, generally ten times bigger than the sun, they will endure a massive explosion after becoming a red giant. This event is referred to as a supernova explosion. Smaller stars will become a neutron star.

Bigger stars will become the dreaded black hole.