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• Stars are massive bodies of incandescent gas located in outer space. Their luminescence is the result of large-scale nuclear reactions occurring in the core of the star. These reactions gradually consume the star's mass. Depending on how much fuel remains, stars can exist in many different forms.

• Fast Facts

  1. Made of burning gas around a solid core
  2. Held together by gravity and gas pressure
  3. Radiate light in different colors, depending on surface temperature
  4. Release energy in all wavelengths of light, including invisible onesNASA Worldbook: NASA - Star
  5. Classified by surface temperatureShef.co.uk: The Classification of Stellar Spectra
  6. Groups of stars are known as galaxies
  7. Large gravitational fields often hold planets in orbit
  8. Star closest to Earth: The Sun
  9. Next closest star: Proxima Centauri, 4.2 light-years away
  10. VY Canis Majoris (VY CMa) the largest known star http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/VY_Canis_Ma...

• Temperature Classification

  • M: Less than 3,500K (degrees Kelvin)
  • K: 3,500-5,000K
  • G: 5,000-6,000K
  • F: 6,000-7,500K
  • A: 7,500-11,000
  • B: 11,000-25,000K
  • O: Greater than 25,000KShef.co.uk: The Classification of Stellar Spectra

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