Stars and galaxies

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What is a supernova?

Back

A supernova is the explosion of a high-mass star at the end of its life cycle, resulting in a dramatic increase in brightness and the ejection of its outer layers.

Tags

NGSS.HS-ESS1-3

Front

What is the HR diagram?

Back

The Hertzsprung-Russell (HR) diagram is a scatter plot of stars showing the relationship between their absolute magnitudes or luminosities versus their stellar classifications or effective temperatures.

Tags

NGSS.HS-ESS1-3

Front

What type of galaxy is characterized by a flat, rotating disk containing stars, gas, and dust, along with a central concentration of stars known as a bulge?

Back

Spiral galaxy.

Tags

NGSS.MS-ESS1-2

Front

What happens to a star's luminosity as it moves from the bottom to the top of the HR diagram?

Back

The luminosity/brightness increases.

Front

What is a black hole?

Back

A black hole is a region of space where the gravitational pull is so strong that nothing, not even light, can escape from it.

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What is a nebula?

Back

A nebula is a giant cloud of dust and gas in space, often the birthplace of stars.

Front

What is the main sequence in the HR diagram?

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The main sequence is a continuous and distinctive band of stars that appears on plots of stellar color versus brightness, where stars spend most of their life cycle fusing hydrogen into helium.

Tags

NGSS.HS-ESS1-3

Front

What type of galaxy has an ellipsoidal shape and lacks the structure of spiral galaxies?

Back

Elliptical galaxy.

Front

What is the difference between a protostar and a main-sequence star?

Back

A protostar is an early stage in the formation of a star, while a main-sequence star is a stable star that is fusing hydrogen into helium in its core.

Front

What is the significance of a star's temperature in the HR diagram?

Back

A star's temperature determines its position on the HR diagram, affecting its color and stage in the stellar lifecycle.