The Living Star
Debi Prasad Choudhary
LAX, Los Angeles, 3/23/2014
A star is born in a pile of dirt; it lives a life witnessing
events around and in the end die, at times violently to rest in peace. That is
the real life story of a star, not what I heard in my childhood that they
attained Godhood, who were noble on earth and they are eternal.
The birthplaces of the stars are seen through telescopes as fuzzy
looking cold nebulas objects that contain 1000 to 100,000 atoms per cubic cm at
temperature of about 100 degree K, in the sky. Some of these objects look dark
as they contain dense dust and gas, some other look brighter due to the
reflection of starlight and in some other the gas is excited like in neon lamps
to produce their own light. In between the gas clouds and stars, there are very
small amount of material, about one atom per cubic meter at temperatures of 1000
degree K. Since the light travels a long distance from the stars to reach earth
they look relatively redder as blue light is absorbed, similar to the phenomena
of red appearance of evening and morning sun. This void is also filled with
hydrogen atom that has one positive proton at center circled by a negative
electron. The hydrogen atom has less energy when these protons and electrons
rotate in opposite direction and more energy when the direction is same. Many
atoms emit a light particle of very low energy and flip the direction of
rotation of electron. Since hydrogen is filled in the galaxy, this light is
used to map the rotation of our galaxy.
When the gas clouds are disturbed due to passing by shock
waves and fragment into vast chunks of clouds. Few years back, I experienced a
shock wave as space shuttle was landing in Edward Air Force Base. When shuttle
enters the earth, the air in front gets compressed resulting sound waves whose
velocity depends on the local density and temperature. The shock waves are
produced when the shuttle speed exceeds the sound speed, in which case sonic
booms in the form of sound are produced and we experience earthquake-type
situation to our home. Among many causes, in case of stellar situation such
waves are produced when a near by star die.
As a vast chunk of the gas cloud, produced by fragmentation
of bigger clouds of dust and gas, collapse to become a star they start rotating
faster and faster. You will notice a
similar effect of fast rotation of a skater when the arms are kept near the
chest compared to the stretched arms. The rapidly rotating collapsing cloud
becomes a flat pancake like object and ejects gas jets above and below at the
center. These jets are produced as puffs of material at the center of rotating
disk are ejected at high speed producing shock waves similar to supersonic jets
on its path.
As the chunks of cloud collapse, the material gets squeezed
and becomes hotter. On midway to become star, they start glowing in infrared
light at about 1000 degree K. Finally, the nuclear fusion sets in to produce
energy at the center that blow away dust around the star. From dirt to star,
the time it takes depend on how heavy it is. The stars that are about 8 to 10
times heavier than sun take about 0.16 million years, where as a sun like star
takes about 30 million years to rise from dirt. It takes 100 million years to
become a star with half solar mass. Still lower mass stars take longer time to
become a real star. Stars are produced in bursts, not alone. There is a fuzzy
object in Orion constellation, called Orion Nebula, where such process is going
on. With a binocular, you can see at least four young stars at this place.
About 100 years ago, no body knew how the stars glow for
such a long time. What is the source of energy? At that time, people knew that
energy is produced by burning wood or oil or of similar processes. If that were
the mechanism with which stars produce energy, they will become dead in few
thousand to few million years. In around 1920, Arthur Eddington, a British
Astronomer, thought that there must be some other forms of producing energy
than what is known at that time and argued that nuclear source.
Twenty years later, Hans Bethe, a German born, American physicist proved that indeed nuclear fusion fuel the stars that keep them shining
for billions of years. The same principle was used to make hydrogen bomb.
Nuclear fusion combines smaller elements to produce higher ones and energy.
Energy can be produced by combining lighter element such as hydrogen, helium,
carbon, neon, oxygen and silicon for fusion. Heavier than iron cannot be
combined to produce energy. All stars start by combining hydrogen to produce
helium and stop the reaction depending on their mass. A sun like star or 10
times lighter one, combine hydrogen at a temperature of about 4 x 106
degree K, where as tars that are eight times heavier combine Silicon to produce
Iron at a temperature of 2.7 x 109 degree K. Star like sun remain in
the main sequence for 10 billion years, which is twice it’s present age. Where
as a star that is 15 times heavier lives the main sequence in 10 million years.
The like of heavier stars is short.
The energy produced at the center flows outward producing pressure due to radiation at each layer. This pressure is balanced by the pressure due to the material or the gravitational force. When these two reassure are balanced at each layer, a star becomes stable. If the radiation pressure exceed gravitational pressure the star would explode, if gravitational pressure exceeds it would collapse. In case of atom bomb or hydrogen bomb, for example, the radiation force is so much that it explodes.
Advanced physics students use their knowledge to understand
various stages of their evolution with the aid of modern computers. Since my
childhood, I have been hearing how some people can know that they are going
die, even though I never encountered such a person. But for stars there are
several signs with dramatic events before their death. Stars pulsate; they
change their brightness severely due to change in the energy production at the
center and changing size before they finally die. They become very big. In
Orion constellation, there is a bright red star, called Betelgeuse, which is in
such a stage. There are pulsating stars called Cepheids and Lyrae that are at
different stages of evolution marching towards death. North star pulsates,
which can be observed to change its brightness slightly. As the stars are
produced in clusters in different sizes at the same time, they are observed in
different stages of evolution at the present time.
The sun is 4.5 billion years old, and shall remain like this
for 5 more billion years before swelling to engulf the earth and other planets.
Ultimately it will die to rest in peace. What will happen to us? I cannot
imagine. We made a lot of progress in past 100 years, human is becoming better.
If we manage to survive when sun stars dying, we shall manage to survive, I
think optimistically.
Good work.
ReplyDeleteEdwards Air Force Base is very close to my home in Antelope Valley. I remember when the space shuttle Endeavor entered our atmosphere in 2008. I remember the windows of my house shaking and making great amounts of noise. From your blog I further understand that cause of all the commotion caused; it was due to the air in front getting compressed which results in sound waves whose velocity depends on the local density and temperature. It was surprising to learn that a 100 years ago no one had an idea of how long the stars glow for, but today they are aware that it takes 100 million years to become a star with half solar mass. I was amused to discover that great amount of years it takes for a star to live and shine. The conclusion of the blog was shocking, even though we will not be alive to experience the sun's death, it is frightening to imagine such a happening.
ReplyDeleteI am glad you experienced shock wave. You will certainly know what I am talking about. When the source of sound wave exceeds the velocity of sound, shocks are produced. The speed of sound wave depends on the density and temperature of the medium. I am glad you liked the blog.
DeleteI found this weeks article to be very detailed in terms of the formation of the stars and the materials they contain. Thank you.
DeleteASTR 152 ONLINE
M. Melkumyan
FALL 2016
It is interesting that stars contain small amounts of material, considering how bright and beautiful they are. Until taking this course and reading your blogs, I never understood how drastically hydrogen impacts our universe. By relating the shock waves of the space shuttle, to an earthquake it is easy to picture the impact the shock waves have on our atmosphere. I also found it puzzling that stars with lower mass take longer to become a star, and heavier stars don't live for very long. Everything in the universe comes down to balance, even the way in which a star becomes stable. A dying star must be an amazing phenomenon to watch. From their brightness to their size, it seems as though everything changes in their dying stages.
ReplyDeleteMaria Gonzalez
ReplyDeleteASTR 152 - ONLINE CLASS
Hi Professor,
I never really felt intense shock waves like the way you did Professor at Edward Air Force base. However, I do have a cousin that lives really close to the LAX airports along the path that airplanes fly over. Whenever they do fly over, I really dislike the sonic booms of sound that are produced. It somewhat irritates/hurts my ears when I am outside because I am not used to them. Thank goodness she has sound-proof windows so it is not bad indoors.
Growing up I always wondered how a star stays light forever!!! (Well, at least till they die out).I found it interesting that the reason that the stars shine for billions of years because of being fueled by nuclear fusion.
I find it interesting that although the Sun is a star, it is the only one that has not died out yet
Can you also post a blog about the dying star? Or send us a link, this is something, I would be really interested in, learning about a star's dying process.
Anila Ismail
ReplyDeleteASTR 152
I liked reading about your experiences with the shock waves produces by the shuttle. I never knew that sounds emitted from the shuttles speed can cause shock waves to occur. I believe this blog is saying that these waves cause a star to die. Is this true?
The discovery made by Bethe that proved that nuclear fusion is what kept the stars shining for billions of year is interesting. I never knew that this is what helps a star keep its brightness.
Shock waves are also produced by fighter jets that fly at speeds larger than sound speed (or supersonic speeds).
DeleteI really liked the analogy of a skater spinning used in this article. When the arms are brought in, much like the dust/gas in a forming star, rotation speed increases. It was also interesting to learn how long stars take to form. Before reading, I initially thought the process was much faster!
ReplyDeleteThe life of a star is sad. It makes me think of "Hollywood" stars they tend to be so glamorous and ultimately have such devastating lives. My best friend lives near an air force and I remember experiencing a shock wave. It was very strange to me because I had never felt that before but it was nothing to her. I thought stars were made of nothing but gas so to know they start with hydrogen was interesting. I wish you had a childhood story, I love reading them!
ReplyDeleteSkylar Keck
ReplyDeleteI enjoy learning about the stars in our universe. I had a basic understanding and knowledge of how they "work", but these articles have really shed the light. From the birth to the death of a star, a star's life is very interesting and so much happens within their lifespan. I did not know that stars like our sun have a main sequence of 10 billion years, and stars bigger than our sun have a main sequence lasting 10 million years. It makes me think of dogs and how the smaller ones live longer than the big ones.
Stars are so fascinating! Now i understand that when I see a twinkling star, I will remember that it is dying! The change in energy is what makes it seem to twinkle. Also, the production of atomic and hydrogen bombs has always been so fascinating to me how technology uses this almost untangible object to make a weapon of destruction! It makes me think what other discoveries people of the future will make about atoms.
ReplyDeleteASTR 152 Online
ReplyDeleteAna Avalos
Wow, the last paragraph kind of scared me, "The sun is 4.5 billion years old, and shall remain like this for 5 more billion years before swelling to engulf the earth and other planets. Ultimately it will die to rest in peace." Although we will not be able to witness the sun die it is pretty scary to think that someday it will. Very interesting blog!
Melissa Khan
ReplyDeleteASTR 152 OL
Wow, I never knew stars were born in dirt, kind of random. I knew they came from bundles of nebulas, and each would brake apart and have their own amount of luminosity. Its definitely so interesting to read what people once believed about the stars because we read them know and they seem like crazy ideas. I think it would be kind of interesting to meet someone who knows when they are going to die, its a little scary but I feel it would be interesting.
It was also pretty cool to read that as the star ages it will decrease its luminosity.
Edic Rangel
ReplyDeleteAstro 152 Online
Its pretty amazing how stars are born. Stars in general are just awesome and are interesting to learn about. What caught my attention the most was learning the signs of how stars start to die. There brightness changes, they get bigger, etc.
What really shock me the most was learning that the sun will eventually die. Its a scary thing to think about, who knows what will be of us.
I have never felt a shock wave so I cannot even imagine how crazy it was to feel that. I had no idea that when sound wave exceeds the velocity of sound, shocks are produced and that the speed of sound wave depends on the density and temperature. I also learned that stars start off with not only dust and gass but a hydrogenatom that has one positive proton circled by a negative electron I learned a lot from this blog and find it really helpful to remember the facts. Thanks for the blog!
ReplyDeleteWei Hung Lai
ReplyDeleteAstro 152 Online
I never knew that the star is born in a pile of dirt. It really surprise me. 100 years ago no one really know why is star glowing for so long, what is the source of energy. I kind of understand why is star glowing for so long after reading this article. I've always wondering why is star never stop glowing. Now I know it is because nuclear fusion fuel the stars that keep them shining for billions of years. Before reading this article, I didn't know who Hans Bethe is, However, after reading this, I know he is one of the greatest American physicist of all time. I learn more and more every time when I read the article.
Elin Madadian from ASTR 152OL
ReplyDeleteI really enjoy the topic of stars because they fascinate me. As a child, they just look like pretty lights in the sky, but when you actually learn about them, they are so much more. Their life story is really depressing though but still interesting. Its so cool that they are so bright even though there is such little material in them. I would love to be able to witness the actual death of a star. I also had no idea they were born in dirt! That is so weirdly random but fascinating. The amount of knowledge we have on stars now just shows how far we have come in astronomical studies.
This is really going to help with my quiz, thank you so much.
ReplyDeleteGreat work!
Alan Jesus Arellano
ASTR 152OL
Duong Sam
ReplyDeleteASTR 152
I found it very interesting how you experienced shock waves. And I have always been curious on why the sun is the only star that hasn't died out, such as what makes it continue to brighten if stars are to die eventually. Would that mean that the sun would die eventually or is there something maintaining the balance? Though you said it will die eventually I think that there might be a solution to keep it alive, but I'm not sure who knows what advance technology we will develop in the next 5 billion years or maybe even find another solution to live without it.
This was a fascinating blog, I cannot wait to read the rest of the blogs.
Joseph Wright ASTR152 OL
ReplyDeleteI really found this blog of yours to be really interesting! I remember Edwards Air Force Base and when the space needle reentered our atmosphere and made the incredibly loud sonic boom! I was just a little freshman in high school and thought a bomb went off because there was a bank next to my school that previously had bomb threats. When I found out what exactly that noise was, I was very intrigued by it. Great post.
I too have witnessed the shock wave, but I was unaware of how it affected us. The phenomena of the air in front of the shuttle becoming compressed are fascinating. The theory of the core temperature of all these stars is also appealing; I wonder this theory could be changed in the future. The scariest and fascinating part of this blog is the end of our sun. I know this won’t influence us today, but the thought of our sun dying seems unreal, and i am glad that I will not be alive to experience it.
ReplyDeleteBilly J. Vasquez
ReplyDeleteASTR 152 OL
Reading your blog is definitely more informative. I remember that shock wave as well. I was in my bedroom playing video games when all of a sudden the whole building shook and my windows rumbled. I thought it was my neighbor that lives upstairs who had fallen off his bed or something. It is amazing how the stars are created from dirt and how they are able to sustain shining for many but many years!
Felicita Penas
ReplyDeleteASTR 152
It was very insightful reading about the life length of stars and what keeps them alive. It is unbelievable that stars live for such a long time! They are truly amazing and interesting. Long Live the Stars!
It is fascinating how stars are born. I never knew stars are born in dirt. The most interesting part of the reading was to learn about how, for some stars it can take, for instance, 30 million years to rise from dirt. The last paragraph was scary, however it would have been interesting to witness the death of our beautiful sun. Great blog!
ReplyDeleteThis comment has been removed by the author.
DeleteI agree with the last paragraph is a little scary but I think its amazing how everything works and has its own cycle and structure. I never knew that stars pulsate , I knew that they eventually died but didn't understand how or why.
DeleteChristian Estrada ASTR 152
ReplyDeleteAs a child, it was always very difficult for me to understand the way something, such as a shockwave, could create such a sound and physical feeling, although there was nothing physical to be seen. If I were to read this as a child, I still would fully comprehend the physics of it all. However, reading this an adult, it really makes me realize the just how and why the mechanical physics of all of these events, such as an increase in speed, can create such powerful forces.
Larisa Karapetyan
ReplyDeleteIt was interesting to find out that heavier than iron can't be combined to produce energy. All stars start by combining hydrogen to produce helium and stop the reaction depending on their mass. To find out it's fate Is determined by its mass is amazing and it will become either a black dwarf, neutron star, or black hole. How cool is that to know.
Taylor Hobson ASTR 152
ReplyDeleteIt was interesting learning about how the center flows outward causing radiation within each layer. I never understood the stages of how stars gain energy to become stable and shine as bright at is does. The star must be very precise with the amount of energy it produces because it has the ability to explode and eventually collapse.
Very interesting article professor. Really puts in perspective how much I didn't know about stars and their origins.
ReplyDeleteStars are very fascinating. There is so much that happens in order for stars to be created and also for them to diminish. To learn that stars are born out of dirt was very surprising, I would have never thought that dirt was what made all the stars in the sky. Stars work in such amazing ways, I think the fact they show when they are going to die is fascinating. It is cool to know that things such as their brightness changing and their sizes developing, are signs that refer to them beginning to die. The last part about the Sun eventually dying and taking everything with it was a frightening thought. Of course, we will not be around when that happens but to think about everything just disappearing is crazy. We are already so developed I cannot begin to imagine how advanced times will be then and then for it all to disappear because of the Sun dying.
ReplyDeleteIt’s interesting how as a star approaches the earth, the color turns red from blue. I also remember when the space shuttle returned back to earth, I heard a big boom and I suddenly went outside to see what was going on than I heard from the news that a space shuttle had returned and that’s what caused the loud noise. As dust and gas collide with each other to make a star, they rotate faster and faster, I wonder how a star looks when it is being made unless it is far away from earth and we do not see it shining above our heads. I would like to one day look through a binocular and take a look at the Orion Nebula and look at the young stars.
ReplyDeleteThe striking part of this article is learning how few atoms exist in space between stars and gas clouds. I sort of just considered most of space to be full of atoms, it was engaging to learn this is not true. Your words describing the death of a star is truly chaotic, it collapsing horrifically into itself faster and faster. Like the rest of your article, I found it fascinating to learn the variable times it takes for a new star to form. It is astonishing that a star can go from dust to a star in a less than a million years or take as long as thirty. It is counter instinctive and interesting to me that stars can’t produce energy by combining any metal heavier than Iron. If a star is as hot and powerful as it, I would imagine it could produce energy with much heavier metals. I also found it enlightening when you compared the explosion of an unstable star to the explosion of a hydrogen bomb, as it put how a powerful bomb such as that works.
ReplyDeleteI found it very interesting how when something goes faster than the speed of sound it creates a physical shockwave that can be felt. I remember one time I felt a shockwave when a shuttle was leaving earth. It was amazing how one object produced a physical wave that thousands of people felt. I also found it interesting how hydrogen is such an important component of our universe. I think that it is scary how the sun will eventually explode and destroy everything around it too. Thankfully this will not happen for a very long time. Its amazing how just a couple hundred years ago no one had any of this knowledge that a lot of people know about today. That just comes to show how far we have come and how smart we are.
ReplyDeleteThis is Robert Braden Villa from ASTR 152 Online. It is amazing to me that what keeps stars burning is nuclear fusion and that they burn for billions of years. That is so hard to understand when we talk about billions of years. It makes me feel so insignificant when we think about the lifespan of humans. Thinking about something as cool as a star being born out of dirt is a funny but true concept. Stars may be born out of dirt but they give humans a great deal of pleasure while they twinkle in the sky.
ReplyDeleteDear Dr. Choudhary,
ReplyDeleteThis blog started out with a great hook. I liked how you stated this is the true story of a star and not the story of your childhood.
I enjoyed how you explained the complexity of how electrons circle the nucleus with a positive proton inside the center, but you did it through explaining the stars electrons and protons.
It also was intriguing that until the 1940's we did not know the actual process in which stars produce energy. I like to reflect on the past because it shows how far we have come. It has not even been 1 century sense Hans Bethe has figured out the true energy source of a star and we have already surpassed his big achievement. Thanks for the great blog professor.
Sincerely,
Richard Burson
Jessica Ovsepian
ReplyDeleteASTR 152
This article was very informative and I could relate to the time you experienced the shock wave as the space shuttle landed because I too experienced it at home. I remember the sliding doors shaking and making noises and so it is interesting to now learn what had caused such an earthquake like situation. I also never knew that stars were born from a pile of dirt. I have always wondered how stars continuously shined and I learned from this article that nuclear fusion keeps them shining for billions of years. It is also fascinating that the sun is 4.5 billion years old but terrifying that it will one day swell and engulf earth, even though I will all be long gone by then, it is still unsettling.
Erika Pina
ReplyDeleteAstr. 152 Online
I enjoy how your articles relate to your childhood memories. I found it really interesting that anyone can see a star's birthplace through a telescope. Knowing that an American physicist discovered that a nuclear fusion fuel keeps stars shining and that it can also be found in hydrogen bombs.
Hello Professor,
ReplyDeleteI liked the way you started explaining what you were told when you were a child and how it differed from the actual real life story of a star. I didn’t know what made stars glow and now I know it’s because of nuclear fusion fuel the stars that keep them shining for billions of years. I know the sun is a star, but I had never stopped to think that it will die one day just like all the stars that have died. It will explode and what would happen? If we are still around 5 billion years from now, what will happen to us? Being optimistic is good, but I don’t think our chances for survival would be high.
-Yadira Morales-Chinchilla (ASTR 152)
I would have never thought that stars are made out of dirt. That is so fascinating to me. I also have always wondered how long a star will live. Now i know that they go through different stages before death and pulsate. I like how you connect what we are learning to your personal life experiences. Like experiencing a shock wave because of the shuttle coming back to earth. As far as what will happen when the sun starts dying I'm sure by then there will be a survival plan. Maybe human will be able to live on different planets or on space station like I've seen in many movies. who knows what the future has in store for us.
ReplyDelete-Melanie Leyva
ASTR 152
Wow! What a great informative blog post. It's so cool learning how stars are born in the dirt, and how for some stars it can take up to millions of years to rise from the dirt I never knew stars are born in dirt. Also, how the sun is 4.5 billion years old, and should remain for five more billion years.
ReplyDeleteArjun Mudhar ASTR 152OL
ReplyDeleteThinking about a star's life as a cycle is interesting because it gives the collection of dirt and gas life. Inevitably, we must think about the life and death of the sun, which means the end for Earth as well. We have 5 billion more years, but like you, I too think optimistically and believe humans will find a way to survive.
These posts are always full of interesting facts. I love being able to learn about the stars from where they begin. It's such a crazy process but soooo interesting!
ReplyDeleteI was not aware that sounds emitted from the shuttle's speed can cause shock waves to occur. I also did not know that nuclear fusion is what allows a star to be as bright as it is. I found this article to be very fascinating especially when I found out that the sun is 4.5 billion years old and it will remain that way for 5 billion more years until it comes to an end.
ReplyDeleteMayra Torres (ASTR 152)
ReplyDeleteThese blogs are useful on understanding the topics and give interesting information about stars. I found the star life cycle to be very interesting on how the process worked and how the stars are developed. I found the childhood stories to be enjoy to read.
Sarine Mirzakhanian (ASTR 152)
ReplyDeleteYour blogs always fascinates me with new information. I couldn't believe that a star is born from gases and dust. It's interesting that nuclear fusion discovered by man 100 years ago has taken place in starts for billions of years. I am amazed that stars live for that long. I always thought that the sun was the biggest and brightest star in our galaxy. Our sun is 4.5 billion years old and nuclear fusion of hydrogen will keep it shinning for another 5 billion years.
0nline astro 152
ReplyDeleteMost of the information in the blog I was surprisingly already aware of. However, I did not know that some stars are comprised of heavier elements that fuel their fusion. It never occurred to me that other elements could take part in the fusion process. Your blogs never fail to teach me something new!
Yeseul Kim (astr152 online)
ReplyDeleteThank you for sharing your blog again. It really helps me to gain my knowledge. The interesting fact was the sun has the age too. Very interesting :)
Yeseul Kim (astr152 online)
ReplyDeleteThank you for sharing your blog again. It really helps me to gain my knowledge. The interesting fact was the sun has the age too. Very interesting :)
Hello professor my name is Maria Figueroa I am part of you Astronomy 152 online class. Your blogs provide helpful information as always. After I read it I was amazed that a star is basically born in a pile of dirt. I never thought about how a star was born, when I look at the stars I just see them as part of the universe, but never thought about how they were created. I was also surprised to learn that the time for a star to rise from dirt varies and depends on the star's weight. For example, the stars that are about 8 to 10 times heavier than sun take about 0.16 million years, where as a sun like star takes about 30 million years to rise from dirt. This is amazing. Overall, this is an amazing blog and I enjoy reading it and learning new things from it.
ReplyDeleteMaria Figueroa
Katherine Garay
ReplyDeleteAST 152 onine
I love the ending of this blog! It's scary to think of a world without a sun, and how humans would most likely become extinct. It's amazing how the process of the creation of a star involves dust and many chemicals. I remember reading a while ago that Polaris may be dying. Do you think that maybe Polaris is in a stage of dying? The night sky would seem so different without our north star
Yajaira Tiscareno ASTR 152
ReplyDeleteStars have an amazing history that I am not aware of. With the information of last week’s blog and this week’s I was able to better my knowledge about stars. It is remarkable to think that the sun is 4.5 billion years old, and will remain like this for 5 billion years. One fact I thought was interesting was the stars that are about 8 to 10 times heavier than the sun about 0.16 million years to rise from dirt. In contrast a star like the sun takes about 30 million years to rise from dirt. I look forward to reading next week’s blog.
It is amazing that the sun is 4.5 billion years old and without the sun human beings will become extinct. It is crazy that stars and the sun are made of dust and other materials.
ReplyDeleteAstr 152
Melissa Ramirez
It is interesting how stars are created from dust and how the nuclear fusion happens. It would be interesting to think if in the future, people would be able to somehow use the power from the stars.
ReplyDeleteI still find it hard to grasp that stars, which contain so much energy and mass, are born from dirt. I cannot fathom how long it must take for a star to form. The scary thing that our Sun is practically halfway through its life span really puts our mortality as a species in perspective. Here is to hoping we discover interstellar travel in order to survive!
ReplyDeleteASTR 152
Crazy to think that when we learned that nuclear fusion provides the stars with energy we applied it to create the nuclear bomb.. I am really interested to know how stars can just be born from dirt, like everyone else here, I find it intriguing and I would want to do more reading about this. Although reading the last paragraph made me kind of sad, I value your optimism and hope for the best for mankind.
ReplyDeleteLuciana Moreno
AST 152
Astro152
ReplyDeleteI found it to be interesting how the stars are made out of dirt and also how they also have a lot of mass. Thank you again professor for showing us your blog.
It is fascinating to learn about how stars are really born. I never knew stars were born in “dirt.” I mainly enjoyed reading that for some stars it can take at least 20-30 million years to rise from dirt. Once again, I really enjoyed reading this blog and learned much from it. Great blog!
ReplyDeletePrithvi Govindan
Astr 152
Astro 152 OL
ReplyDeleteHow interesting! I went to the Florida Space Station when I was a kid and saw the shuttle go up! Very interesting.
~Elizabeth Narayan
It does make me sad and or nervous to know that the sun will eventually die. But it gets me thinking that maybe all of what we know has happened before and will again. The idea of the universe and everything in it is daunting and very interesting.
ReplyDelete-Katlin Moody
This comment has been removed by the author.
ReplyDeleteIt is interesting to know that shock waves do happen on Earth but I myself have never experienced one. I enjoyed the analogy of the skater to represent a star forming which gives a great visual representation. I knew that stars were made of dust but the process I did not know about.
ReplyDeleteYanin P. Ortega
ASTR152 Online
ASTR 152
ReplyDeleteI never knew that stars pulsated and changed size before dying. I am curious to learn why they become big before they die.
Raymond Banting
What's scary, and related to the life cycle of stars, is the concept of "the heat death of the universe" wherein all stars eventually burn out and there is no more ambient energy left to sustain life (or any sort of chemical reaction).
ReplyDeleteI find it so hard to comprehend a billion years in time. That a star can take hundreds of millions of years to form from dirt and last so long. I also can’t believe that the sun we know will someday die out. Even though I am learning more about the universe now it seems even more daunting than ever. As usual, another very informative lecture. Thank you Professor.
ReplyDeleteAstr 152
Alexander Weiss
This was a very interesting article. I kind of felt like it has an interesting dooms day feel to it though. I hope that I am long gone before the sun engulfs the earth. I do believe that we, humans, are in the process of finding a way to survive on other planets. I agree with you and am also optimistic; we will work hard to survive.
ReplyDeleteI am in shock right now. To think that that in a the future the Sun will wither away and take earth with it is just astonishing! Thanks to Hans Bethe we have made tremendous progress on the research of stars. It is very informative by explaining the progression of the stars from beginning to end.
ReplyDeleteASTR 152 OL
Hello Prof,
ReplyDeleteThe birth and formation of a star is very intriguing. The time it take for the creation and life of a star is mind blowing. I still cannot fathom the fact that a star is basically dirt and gases suspended in space to form some sort of spherical shape; that then produces light, and even creates an orbit or gravitational pull. Which in the end,it is to some day die a somewhat ungraceful death (in my opinion).
Kristoffer Villabroza
Astr 152
It is so weird to me that a star is literally made from dirt and that it takes millions of years to rise. It's also amazing to me how the sun has been around for 4.5 billion years and still has billions of years left before it burns out. It is also crazy that sun will actually die out someday.
ReplyDeleteJustin Toerner
Astr 152
I must admit when I read that stars are made from dirt I chuckled a little, that's insane, Dirt?! Knowing that the sun will engulf the earth scares me but it wont happen for 5 billion years but I hope human manages to survive! This blog was truly great and I come out with a lot of interesting facts that I cant wait to tell people about
ReplyDeleteHanna Benabid
I think its crazy that 100 years ago no body knew how stars glow and how far we've really come. I love the blog and that I always learn so much, i learned the stars are made from dust and also how the stars are balanced to become stable. Thank you for the wonderful blog as always
ReplyDeleteFrancisco Facio
ReplyDeleteASTR 152
March 27, 2016
Hello Professor,
Overtime I read over your posts, I find myself knowing at least one new piece of information. One thing that I caught on was the creation of stars in which are a measurement of dust. Furthermore, how the human race may be extinct from the lacking of the sun.
Once I started reading this blog I knew some would stand out and what stood out to me the most was the ending when you mentioned how old the sun has been around and to me that is amazing how something and last for that long. But it is scary knowing one day dooms day will be upon us, not in our life time for for future existence. Another thing stars being born from dirt is amazing because its a way of how plant and space connect.
ReplyDelete-Jazzlin Hernandez
Adrian Ruvalcaba
ReplyDeleteAstronomy 152
This weeks reading was cool to find out that stars are made out of dirt and how long it takes to form. Also on the kind of forces it uses to form the stars by gravitational and radiation. Stars are such an interesting object and are so fascinating.
Hello Professor,
ReplyDeleteYour blogs are always enjoyable and informational to read. It is interesting how you mentioned how a star initially forms because when I was younger I had a different understanding of how it is created as well. I never would of realized that they first form in a pile of dirt or show symptoms of death by pulsating into a larger star.
I found it interesting that the sun will die one day and engulf the earth and planets. I think that shows how powerful the sun really is and how much we should take care of the world around us. I think it is interesting that stars are born in a pile of dust. I have never experienced a shock wave before or sonic boom. I enjoyed hearing your experience with the shock wave. Stars are very interesting to me now that I have more knowledge about their existence.
ReplyDeleteGrace Doyle
ReplyDeleteAstro 152
The birth of a star is incredibly interesting. I thought it was fascinating that a star is made from dirty. I had no idea. The process of how a star becomes a star is crazy. 4.5 billion years and it goes though so many stages. I really enjoined this post. It blew my mind.
Allan Chan
ReplyDeleteAstr 152
It is absolutely awesome to know how stars are formed, which include our very sun. Even though I will not be around long enough for this to happen, but it is intimidating to know that the sun will die and to know that life needs the sun! Not only that, but as NASA explores planet b, it's crazy to know that even if Mars can support life, it will die along with earth in a long time from now. Lastly, I find it interesting how dust forms in space. I really would like to know more about that.
Right off the bat the first sentence was really interesting to me, it said that a star starts off as a pile of dirt. It is so interesting to know how old the sun is, 4.5 billion years old. I still wonder how people can be so smart enough to figure that out. I wonder as well, what will happen if the sun dies. All of our plants need the sun to survive, would we be able to physically provide some type of human made sunlight, very interesting questions. I just really hope it doesn't happen in my life time because it is really scary. After all every living thing has to die at one point, its just scary to actually be able to say this.
ReplyDeleteYaqueline Carlos
ASTR 152
Caitlen Diab ASTR 152
ReplyDeleteI must start off by saying that you did a wonderful job visually describing the steps and the process of the life of a star and how a star even comes to life. It was as if I was watching a digital video of the life cycle of a star with the words illustrating all of it perfectly!
I would have never thought that a star takes so much time to come to life since there are so many in the night sky (even though we aren't able to see that many with our city lights).
Thank you for this post and for all of the captivating information :)
Oh, I forgot to mention that I experienced a sonic boom a few years ago and when it happened I was so confused because it didn't feel like an earthquake, it felt like someone took the house and shook it once.
DeleteWhen I found out it was caused by a sonic boom, I became so interested in learning what this phenomenon was. I remember being so enthralled by this so when you mentioned it in this post it brought back memories of when that happened!
Great blog professor! You really explained the origins of a star well. I've always been fascinated by stars and their various stages of life. It's incredible how some become black holes!
ReplyDelete-Erick Fernandez
Erika Pina
ReplyDeleteAstr.152
I did not know that a star contains 1000 to 100,000 atoms at the temperature of 100 degrees K. When the star’s light travels to earth the color changes from blue to red. Knowing that many years ago many people did not that stars glow, but only knew that energy comes from buying wood or oil. I found it fascinating that physic students use their knowledge to understand evolution by using computers. It is also amazing that in 5 billion years the sun will die out.
It is so interesting to know that nuclear fusion of hydrogen atoms is what fuels stars brightness. A star’s life length is different depending on mass of the star. The death of a star must be fascinating to observe. I have seen the north star twinkle before and it is pretty awesome! It is crazy to think of how the world would be if the sun were to die and we were still around.
ReplyDeleteVery interesting post, once again! It is truly amazing to me that amount of years that stars live. It really sheds a light on our human existence and how short it is. Thank you for sharing all of this great information!
ReplyDeleteI was not aware that sounds emitted from the shuttle's speed can cause shock waves to occur. I also did not know that nuclear fusion is what allows a star to be as bright as it is. I found this article to be very fascinating especially when I found out that the sun is 4.5 billion years old and it will remain that way for 5 billion more years until it comes to an end.
ReplyDeleteSo the sun will swell before it dies and then goes out like a light bulb? If so, the human race does not necessarily have another 5 billion years to decide what it's going to do, does it? I imagine that earth will start seeing the effects of the ever increasing heat from the swelling sun billions of years BEFORE it actually reaches its end. If I'm not mistaken, true space exploration was pretty much stifled back in the 70's after we landed the moon. Back then, the human race was completely mesmerized by the thought of exploring the universe and most governments were all on-board. But this has not been the case for a very long time. I wonder when the question of the need to settle other solar systems in order for the human race to survive will be addressed - probably not for thousands of years. But just imagine how long an endeavor like that would take: perhaps thousands of years just to invent the technology, build the technology, explore the universe and then ultimately relocate and settle. It all seems incomprehensible when you think about it.
ReplyDelete-Cameron Wolcott
Ast 152
It is amazing in how stars contains 1000 to 100,000 atoms at the temperature of 100 degrees. Also, the stars die at some point depending on their mass. When the sun dies it will endanger human existence.
ReplyDeleteAstr 152
Melissa Ramirez
The fact that scientists were able to discover all these various properties of stars without even being close to one is amazing; they understand a stars inside out. This level of intelligence gives me hope that even after the sun dies down we may still have a chance to figure out an alternate way to simulate the sun's properties here on Earth. Maybe we may all have to move to Mars after the sun dies, who knows?
ReplyDeleteMaria Camacho
Ast 152
This comment has been removed by the author.
ReplyDeleteI always have to remind myself that the bigger the star the faster it dies. I have to remember it is similar with energy being used by a person. The bigger you are the more energy needed to get up and move. I can't even to begin to imagine what the world would be like without the sun, the end of all life as we know it.
ReplyDeleteAlso, stars die similarly to humans, kinda eerie. From dust we come and to dust we shall return!
Diana Perez
ASTR 152
Online 16223
shaina hernandez
ReplyDeleteAstr 152
I'm in shock as I think about what I have just read in your blog. Crazy to know how stars are made and how old the earth it. That it will in 5 billion more years come to an end to go into peace. Your blogs continue to give me such perspective, insight, and thought every time I read them. Everything around us has a beginning and an end.
Sarine Mirzakhanian
ReplyDeleteASTR 152
Your blog always fascinates me with new information. I couldn't believe that a star is born from gases, dust and chunks of cloud. On about half way of its production a star reaches to a thousand degrees K before the nuclear energy blasts in. Stars with heavier masses than the sun take about 0.16 million years to grow and a sun like star is born in 100 million. The stars are produced in clusters in various sizes which. Betelgeuse, is one of the stars which is loosing its brightness and about to become a dead star. Our sun still has 5 billion years until it dies, since its about 4.5 billion years.
It's always amazing to think that stars live and die, knowing that the fact the sun will die someday but it will still be alive for another 5million years amazes me. I always think that if we were to travel to another star, it would take us million of LY to get there and by the time we get there. The star would have been already dead and we're looking into the pass. It fascinates me how stars are born from gases. I really like how you mentioned on we as a human, are becoming better and better. Couldn't agree more on that and thank you for another amazing blog
ReplyDeleteI really enjoyed this article because stars have always been so interesting to me! It is crazy to think how stars can live for billions of years and just die off, yet the sun is a star and has not died yet. I have experienced a shock wave as well and what an experience it was! It is interesting to know that this same process happens when a star dies.
ReplyDeleteElisha Siem
Ast152
This was a very interesting article. I love to sit and look at the stars, when I can see them at night. There are times that it is dark enough outside that I can see so many stars and consolations it brings me to tears, but most nights I can barely see the moon. After reading this article I found it extremely interesting that the stars are made up of almost nothing. They are so beautiful and I just assumed they were a large mass mixed with a huge amount of something. I was almost sad when you spoke about the life of a start. From what I gather they become even more beautiful when they are in the last stage and die. How wonderfully sad and poetic; I wonder how we would be as humans if we only started to show our true beauty in the end of our life? If we as humans lived 10 billion years how would we chose to live it? If I could chose to be a type of star I would chose to be a smaller one, because as you stated they live longer.
ReplyDeleteIt was cool how stars are created from the nebula and how they contain 100-100000 atoms per cubic cm. Also I have also experienced shock waves when I was watching military jets take of from an airstrip during a demonstration. It was also interesting that the stars die off, which makes me think if the sun will ever die, considering it is a star.
ReplyDeleteFrancisco Facio
ReplyDeleteASTR 152
April 3, 2016
Stars just got more interesting. Stars undergo a long process from cradle to grave. I was not aware that stars come out of dirt, which was very surprising. It is neat to know that a star’s fluctuation of brightness and size vary their process of dying.
One thing that captured my attention was how the sun will eventually die. This generation of folx will not be around by that time, but we are NOT the only people who will be on this planet, so let's take the future generations into account. But who knows how technologically advanced the human race will be. Time will tell.
Cindy Aguirre
ReplyDeleteASTR 152
Interesting to read that the sun will remain for another 5 billion years and eventually die off. Definitely brings up the curiosity of what will happen to mankind if such does occur. Assuming the world keeps evolving we presume that human life will be fine. It is also interesting to read that a star is born in a pile of dire, who would have known! Your blogs are always so interesting to read, always teaches me something new.
Professor,
ReplyDeleteI thought your article was very interesting to read especially for someone who has always been fascinated with the stars. While I grew up knowing about the stars, I never knew that stars originated from dirt and that they, like other forms of life, die off as well.
My favorite part about this blog as when you recalled visiting edwards airfare base. I could relate to your ample because I live very close to the base so I hear, and feel sonic booms often. In addition, now i understand that when I see a twinkling star, it is dying! The change in energy is what makes it seem to twinkle. Also, the production of atomic and hydrogen bombs are fascinating to me. It makes me think what other discoveries people of the future will make about atoms.
ReplyDeleteI cannot imagine a world without a sun! The sun is 4.5 billion years old what is the world without the sun? Well we would not be able to experience this. Without the sun we would no longer walk this earth. It is unsettling to think about human extinction while we are still walking the earth. I never really put much thought as to how stars are created but it is interesting to now know they are made out of dust and chemicals.
ReplyDeleteAllan Chan
ReplyDeleteASTR 152
It was very intriguing to read the reason for that shockwave when the shuttle reached into the earth's atmosphere. During that event, it sounded as if the sky cracked open, but I found out it was the shuttle, which for me was extremely hard to believe. This, this lesson has taught me the science for the explanation. Also, it was very interesting to read about the life of a star and the reason why it lives for so long considering how much light it shines, and how it combines with hydrogen.
Adrian Ruvalcaba
ReplyDeleteAstronomy 152
This weeks reading was interesting to learn how hot stars can be as well as the elements that allow them to shine bright. It is amazin how much knowledge we have encountered with the stars without really being next to it or touching it. Stars are such a interesting particles and I am glad to be learning about them through last weeks and this weeks reading.
Its crazy how hydrogen impacts our universe majorly in different ways. Stars have there own way of forming by itself which is interesting to know ore about since it is not a thing we really focused on till I took this class. The sun will eventually die off which keeps me wondering what will happen then? How or what will happen to the different planets? Like usual interesting topics and points mention, always a pleasure to read your blogs.
ReplyDelete-Jazzlin Hernandez
Hello Professor,
ReplyDeleteI've commented on this blog before (for Week 8) but I just wanted to state once again how fascinated I am as to how stars initially form!
Interesting post once again, always so informative and helpful. The sun has always intrigued and scared me. Simply because I know that one day just as all stars do, it will explode and humans will no longer be able to inhabit the earth. It was interesting to learn about the life of stars. Stars are so amazing and learning about them just makes me appreciate them that much more.
ReplyDeleteI find it quite interesting to find out that stars have lives. I had no idea that the heavier it was, the shorter the life it had. It is good to know that it will be billions of years until there is no longer a sun because I would not be able to imagine a world without it.
ReplyDeleteI never knew stars have lives. Scar thinking that one day the sun will be no more and will explode. I know it won't be in my lifetime but it is still a scary thought.
ReplyDeleteHeng Shen
ReplyDeleteASTR 152
This is my first time to know the stars have lives! It's amazing!
I'd never known the amount of time it took for a star to form. I also had no idea that this depended on its overall mass. I also didn't know that we could observe that a star was beginning to die, and that it showed signs of it. I appreciate how you bring to light that stars are not eternal, just like everything else in existence. Even the heavens aren't permanent.
ReplyDeleteASTR 250
It’s crazy how to understand the formation of the stars, and the mass it contains. I am grateful that we have stars, especially the sun which is the closest one to earth. Not having our sun would leave this world cold, and without light. I always see stars where I live, and it makes me think about my life and my accomplishments.
ReplyDeleteAstro 152
Fall semester 2016
Edward Rodriguez
I enjoy knowing more about stars especially since i enjoy making paintings of the night sky that features stars. I didn't know we could observe when a star was reaching the end of its lifetime. I'm very glad i wont be alive to witness the sun dying. That doesn't sound like a good time to be living.
ReplyDeleteIt is quite interesting how stars are formed and how they live and die. I would have never known about how the heavier the star weighed, the shorter life it would have.
ReplyDeleteSelena Dang
ASTR 152
It was really interesting learning about how stars are formed in balls of gas and how they die. I did not know that we could actually observe the death of a star from Earth, seems captivating. I never knew that the heavier the star, the shorter lifespan it had.
ReplyDeleteI have always wondered about how stars become stars and how they can maintain all the energy and heat that they do at its core without exploding. This blog post made it clear to me. That the gravity force of the star has to balance with its core force for the star to remain, if not it will explode or collapse. I liked how you used the example of the ice skater that pulls their arms in and that makes them spin faster. The topics and specifics that the blog discusses may be abstract but when related to things in the world on earth around us it becomes understandable so thank you for that.
ReplyDeleteThe Idea of our sun dying worries me, because everything about the world we know may not be here anymore and thats just a terrifying thought. It really puts our human lives in perspective.
I've always been fascinated by stars. My favorite thing in the sky is a star. They're so completely beautiful, unreachable, and mesmerizing in their mystery. I like the personification of a star that you used in the beginning of this post. It makes the sky that much more interesting. I've also always wondered how stars live for so many years. Nuclear fusion is a very engaging subject which I'd like to explore even more. This post really cleared some things up about star processes to me. The huge and somewhat ambigous subjects you discuss are made more interesting and relatable with various examples. I also enjoyed a little history lesson on Bethe and Eddington.
ReplyDeleteIt was great to know how the stars die because I was curious about it as I mentioned in my comments of last blog. I think the space things are never going to be realistic to me since I cannot actually see with my eyes or happen in front of me, but I guess that gets me more curious about the universe. At least once in my life time, I eager to travel in the space and look the beautiful earth and stars around.
ReplyDeleteThis has been my favorite post so far. I love stars, and have always been so curious about their creation, and this post explains that perfectly. Thank you
ReplyDeleteChrista Griffiths
ASTR 152 ONLINE (Fall 2016)
Hello Professor,
ReplyDeleteAs I was going through the lecture I noticed many fascinating things that I did not know before. For example, you mentioned in the beginning of the lecture that stars are born from a pile of dirt. I find this to be so interesting because to me, stars have always been the most beautiful, shinning thing to look at. However, know I now that those beautiful shinning things in our sky is just a pile of dirt. I also find it very interesting that stars are born, they live, and then they die just like us.
Today there are many movies and and shows about the end of the world and the end of time. Many people seem infatuated with this idea of end of time, but as you said in this blog us as humans are getting better and more adaptable. The sun will one day no doubt blow out and we as humans if we get that far might be able to survive. It is interesting also how you mention the same idea of how stars are born is how we make bombs to kill. Einstein one of the greatest minds was the first to create this to end the war. Its power is emense and now with greater technology come stringer and bigger bombs. I remember when the shuttle makes it feel as an earthquake has it as it enters Earth it is incredible how such a small thing can cause such an effect on the rest of us. This was a great entry Professor.
ReplyDelete-Raymundo Ruvalcaba
-ast 152
-
Every living object in this universe is born and eventually must die. Although it is sad to realize that everyone has a beginning and an end, we must understand the purpose of our existence. Why were we created? I don't think even the most intelligent scientist has answered that question. However, I give them lots of credit that they are able to discover how all of these living objects are created. I am glad to find out that our sun still has 5 billions years to live. I am hopeful that humans during the time will have figured out how to move themselves to another galaxy to avoid the complete existence of the human species. I am quite optimistic that they will because as you mentioned in your blog, we have discovered so much in just a short span of 100 years. Imagine what we will have discovered and created in 5 billions. Too bad I won't be around to see it. I am glad that stars continue to be born because that just tells us that our universe will continue to be around for billions and billions of years from now. I also wanted to mention that although heavier stars develop sooner than lighter stars, their life span is shorter. I am glad our star, the sun, is not one of those heavy star.
ReplyDeleteIxtla Montanez
ASTR 152 ONLINE (FALL)
Until this lecture, I never really took the death of the sun into consideration. I also just can't fathom an experience of billions of years. That time seems almost unimaginable. When you mentioned the Sun "swelling to engulf the earth and other planets" it really made me think about the value of our human experience. If, one day, this universe will cease to exist as we know it, then we really should focus on experience rather than material. Our legacies may not carry on physically at some point in the unknown future. Also, your closing statement about potentially managing to survive this death is really interesting. I guess I may have lacked the optimism to think that human would be developed enough to survive. But, 5 billion years from now, who knows what breakthroughs would've been made in science, technology, and life.
ReplyDeleteAshley Jackson
ASTR152 ONLINE
FALL 2016
Professor Choudhary,
ReplyDeleteThank you again for another excellent blog post! As i've said in the last lecture post, I have always had such a fascination with stars. The way they live and die is truly incredible. The amount of energy they must consume to produce such a brilliant light is amazing. Stars aren't just "star" they are actually a living thing. Thats incredible.
Celina Carpina
ASTR 152 Fall Online
This post gave a lot about the life and death about stars. They way they are formed and the time it takes is really fascinating, but the death intrigued me a bit more. This is because they actually show signs of their upcoming death by pulsating and change their brightness. The sun will one day die and I have wondered what will happen to human life, when that happens because we need sunlight to continue. I believe that by that time we will adapt and create a way to live without sun light.
ReplyDeleteReginald Hawkins ASTR 152 Online Fall 2016
Reading this helped me understand more about stars. Such as the life of heavier stars is shorter than those of stars that weigh lights. Heavier stars live around 10 million years whereas lighter stars live around 10 billion years! Also, the stars change their brightness and change in size before they die.
ReplyDeleteI found the blog to be very interesting and helpful in learning about what happens to the stars in the galaxy. For one, there are several signs with dramatic events before their death. Stars pulsate, and then change their brightness severely due to change in the energy production at the center. Lastly, they change their size before they finally die. I'm not too sure about whether or not we will survive the death of the largest star, the sun, but with technological advancements in the next billion years or so, who knows.
ReplyDeleteFirst of all, I still can't get over that stars are actually created from dirt because something that shines so brightly to be created from a different form is pretty amazing. Also, how all stars start by combining hydrogen to produce helium and stop the reaction depending on their mass. I always wanted to know if a star has a life or not and this post definitely answered my question. Thank you for another great blog post!
ReplyDeleteChristina Tran
AST152 Online (Fall 2016)
The life of a star is fascinating how it can start from nothing and end in a violent death. Through telescopes they are only seen as fuzzy blobs but up close they are hot objects that contain temperatures unheard of. We have even made discoveries on how are galaxy rotates according to the light emitted from stars. It is amazing how a star is created from a vast chunk of gas that creates a cloud that is then a star. As the materials are squeezed together there is more pressure causing the temperature to increase. With it being so hot they glow different colors making them visible in the sky. From nothing to something so vast and powerful.
ReplyDeleteIts insane to find out that stars have small amount of material because they look so bright. I never knew that hydrogen was a big impact on the universe. I like that you always provide example that involve real world experiences like relating shock waves of the space shuttle, to an earthquake this helps paint a clear image of how it would feel like. I also found it interesting but strange that stars with lower mass take longer to become a star, and heavier stars don't live for very long. Theres always some balance in everything in the universe, even the way in which a star becomes stable. Just like I have never seen a lunar eclipse it must be nice to experience to watch a dying star.
ReplyDeleteCelinne Hernandez ASTR 152 ONLINE
Its nice to know how stars are created and how they die. When I was younger, I was always told that a shooting star is just a star that died out. Whenever my family would see one, I'd always miss it. I've only seen one shooting star in my life. My favorite idea from this blog post is the one that says in about 5 billion years, the sun will die. That is so scary but so interesting. Whats going to happen to the people on Earth at that time? Or will there even be people on Earth at that time?
ReplyDeleteKatie Rosa Astronomy 152(online)
ReplyDeleteI must say I have never experienced or have ever seen a shuttle landing back to a base but to know that it causes shock waves due to the front air being compressed causing sound waves. Also the very knowledge of our own stars life and death,I find very extraordinary. I never thought that one day we would have the technology and have the knowledge to determine the life span of our stars in the dark sky above. Another crazy and kind of terrifying fact to know is when your article mentioned the sun I have to say I am glad to be not be alive for the death of the sun but I am optimistic for the human race as well we have learned so much in such little time and evolved so much I can just imagine in 5 billion years what changes would come.
Very interesting lecture. I really enjoy learning about the life of the stars. It is quite crazy how long the stars have been around and they shine so bright that we can see them even though they are millions of light years away. This makes me think of star wars and how much distance they travel throughout the galaxies. Also thinking about the sun expiring is quite scary.
ReplyDeleteElias Orona
ASTR 152
Samantha Mejia
ReplyDeleteFall 2016
Astr 152
I really liked readying about how a star becomes stable through pressure radiating through each layer. How ironic, that it's the complete opposite in humans. I really liked the analogy you used of a skater keeping their arms close to their chest compared to outstretched arms to compare it to a start rotating faster and faster.
I never knew stars were made up of small materials. and reading this made me realize how I always wondered why stars were always shining and bright. I never felt a shock wave though. and its pretty interesting to know how they are wave and die. although I would like to know more information about how they die
ReplyDelete- DaJeion Myers
Astro 152
This was incredibly fascinating to read about! I am so interested in these intricate details of stars and their origins and their functionality. I had heard once about how old stars are and how slow it takes for the complete death to reach Earth, but I had never ever thought about the sun! That's scary to think what the future holds for us in humanity. I really enjoyed reading the precise details of the stars and the clouds as well.
ReplyDeleteRiley Conlan
ASTR152
I am not sure I quite understand where the dirt comes from, or why a star that has lower mass takes longer to form. I think that it is interesting that there are examples in nature of super sonic events, referring to the mantis shrimp and its ability to produce cavitation bubbles.
ReplyDeleteKierra Stepteau ASTR 152
I think that it is very extraordinary that you have gotten to experience a shock wave, especially the one in 2008, it seems like you are a small part of jistroy that way. I have never been apart of a shock wave, I have lived next to a large airport my whole life and the experiences there, have come pretty close. I also find it extremely incredible how stars have come to be. They literally are born from nothing, but have such a huge impact around them. One day, the sun will swallow us, I hope that when that time comes, we have enough technology to stand a chance. I think if we survive that, we can survive anything.
ReplyDeleteJasmine Ramirez
ASTR152
So why is it that stars, after dying, become black holes? And do all stars become black holes? The life and death of a star is fascinating. Thank you professor for that informative blog!
ReplyDeleteAshley Stepteau ASTR 152 Fall
I never realized that the star is conceived in a heap of soil. It truly astonish me. 100 years back nobody truly know why is star shining for so long, what is the wellspring of vitality. I sort of comprehend why is star shining for so long subsequent to perusing this article.
ReplyDeleteIt was fascinating learning about the stars in our galaxy and how they truly "glow". It's interesting trying to visualize how one of the brightest things the human eye can see was originally born in the "dirt".
ReplyDeleteI have seen the Edwards Air Force Base in the Antelope Valley. I have only heard other people's experiences of being present during the space shuttle entering our atmosphere back in 2008. I was told is was similar to an earthquake as many things in people's homes shook greatly. I coulnd't imagine being present for this. Such a scary feeling. As I came to the end of this blog I could not fathom the death of the sun. It would be like death of earth. Till that day comes we must see all that life has to offer
ReplyDeleteTERREL GULIFORD
ASTR 152 ONLINE
I have heard about the Orion Nebula a few times before. I've only heard so many things of our bright star was originally from "dirt." This was an interesting read and made me more grateful for the life we have now!
ReplyDeleteThe sun is so important to us and we should be very grateful.
ASTR 152
Maggie Chong
Reading about shock waves was really interesting. I too have felt one when they had sent astronauts in space a few years ago from JPL here in the san fernando valley.
ReplyDeleteI think its amazing how stars are born. They go through so many processes that then characterizes their size, brightness and life span. I imagine the death of the Sun will be a huge catastrophe, but such a great show!
ReplyDeleteASTR 152-Online
Rafael Molina
It's interesting learning that stars work the same way in producing its energy the way we do on earth through burning wood or oil. Stars use nuclear fusion to contract that glow able to be seen all the way down to earth its so bright.
ReplyDeleteReading the article, it is very interesting to learn the facts about the star sun. And there is more and more story that can go with the star sun.
ReplyDeleteSun is powerful sources to our living life and it have a conceptual common process as our human life living in the earth as well.
Sungjoo Jeon
ASTR 152
Fall 16
Ryan Schlup ASTR 152
ReplyDeleteGreat blog again professor, I found everything very interesting. I like how you demonstrate hows stars form by giving the example of an ice skater rotating while keeping its arms compressed into his chest. It creates a good visual. And it is amazing to think that one day our Sun will die and impact earth dramatically.
Very much enjoyed this lecture professor. I enjoy learning of the sun and how spectacular it is, considering it is seemingly 'only a star' yet provides us with our life as we know it.
ReplyDeleteAnother awesome lecture post Professor Choudhary. I really enjoyed everything you continue to teach us about stars. It is truly incredible the lifespan of a star can exceed. Truly fascinating. However, your ending words about the sun eventually swarming the earth is slightly scary.
ReplyDeleteCelina Carpina
ASTR 152
Online FALL 2016
Kathy Aguilar
ReplyDeleteAstro 152
I really enjoyed reading about the stars and what it is that keeps them alive!! I didnt know stars lived that long, it was very interesting to read this post!
I posted for last weeks lecture, but I'm posting again because I'm not sure if you wanted us too. This blog is very nice to read after the chapter because it provides new content and it clarifies content from the chapter that I did not understand.
ReplyDeleteMy favorite fact from the chapter is that the sun will last 10 billion years.
Even though this is the same lecture from last week, I still found it interesting how long the life of a star is and how the sun will still be around even after humans are gone is pretty fascinating. I also found it enjoyable that stars are more than what we hear they are living things that are in our sky daily.
ReplyDeleteThe life of a star is fascinating how it can start from nothing and end in a violent death. Through telescopes they are only seen as fuzzy blobs but up close they are hot objects that contain temperatures unheard of. We have even made discoveries on how are galaxy rotates according to the light emitted from stars. It is amazing how a star is created from a vast chunk of gas that creates a cloud that is then a star. As the materials are squeezed together there is more pressure causing the temperature to increase. With it being so hot they glow different colors making them visible in the sky. From nothing to something so vast and powerful.
ReplyDeleteAlways interesting learning how systems in our galaxy formed so many years ago, I appreciate the lecture. Thank you again.
ReplyDeleteBrenton Filipi
ASTR 152
Enjoyed this read and the information that is given. The stars are very fascinating and a subject that I have always been interested in since I was young. It's pretty cool how much information we have on stars that are so far away from us. I really look forward to each week and the new information that you put together for us.
ReplyDeleteElias Orona
ASTR 150
The anatomy of a star is so beautifully tragic. Something so amazing started from nothing and end up dying. Very interesting blog post.
ReplyDeleteTien Ho
ASTR 152
I really like to read your blog, it is very informative. I can learn a lot of things about the space through your blog. It is interesting to know that the stars are born in a pile of dirt. In addition, i have never thought that there will have stars that are 8 about 8 to 10 times heavier than sun.
ReplyDeletePhuong Truong
ASTR 152
All those facts fir the stars siunds so interesting, how the space works in very long distances from earth and effect earth,
ReplyDeleteThis was a very interesting article. I wish in Los Angeles you could look up at the sky and see all the stars. I bet it would look beautiful. Some nights I can barely see the moon. After reading this article I found it interesting that the stars are closely made up of nothing. Before this class I did not now what stars were made of. From what I understood stars are even more beautiful when they are in the last stage before they die. Because you said smaller stars live longer I would chose to be the smaller one.
ReplyDeleteCelinne Hernandez ASTR152 ONLINE
The death of a star seems very interesting and almost tragic as it is described as a violent occurrence in our solar system. I did not know that if the radiation pressure exceed gravitational pressure the star would explode. Also, it's odd that if gravitational pressure exceeds, it would just collapse. Moreover, I found the analogy of the atom bomb to be very useful in the explanation, in which the radiation force is so much that it explodes.
ReplyDeleteHenry Lamas ASTR 152
ReplyDeleteI thought it was interesting to learn about your experience with the shock waves and how it caused clouds to collapse.
It is very interesting to learn the creation of stars in the sky but it also is very sad on how they are destroyed over time. I fine these lectures to be very informative on the subject and help me continue learning more about how our universe works.
ReplyDeleteChristopher Posada
ASTR 152
Fall 2016
This lecture was very interesting to know how the cycle of the living star. It reminds me of the circle o life in the lion king. What stood out to me the most was what was mentioned at the end of the lecture, which was: wondering what would happen if the sun would die. Would we manage to survive? It’s very interesting to know what we have up our sleeve in order to keep living.
ReplyDeleteIt was very interesting to think of the statement you made, "If the radiation pressure exceed gravitational pressure the star would explode, if gravitational pressure exceeds it would collapse. In case of atom bomb or hydrogen bomb, for example, the radiation force is so much that it explodes". What if there wasn't enough radiation force for a bomb to explode? Would they find a different way to make the bomb work in lower pressure?
ReplyDeleteThis post was very interesting. Knowing that stars die is something that I learned before, but it just that they can die violently was new to me. I also wonder what will become of us when the sun dies, because it has to die someday. I believe that we will be prepared due to our constant advancements of technology over time.
ReplyDeleteReginald Hawkins
ASTR 152 Online
Fall 2016
Good thought. Sun will die after about 4.5 billion years. If our civilization survives, they will find a way.
DeleteThis was a very interesting lecture i learned that the sun is 4.5 billion years old and shall remain like that for 5 more billion years before swelling to engulf the earth and other planets. I also learned that Hans Bethe who was a German born American physicist proved that indeed nuclear fusion fuels the stars, that's what keeps them shining for billions of years.
ReplyDeleteGood Morning Professor Choudhary
ReplyDeleteI found this lecture to be very interesting because there was many things I was able to learn that I did not know about. The first thing I learned was that stars died I have never heard of that before. Another thing I learned was that the sun was 4.5 billion years old, I figured the sun was old but not to that extent. Every time I read one of your lectures I learn something new and exciting.
Ariel Ford
ASTR 152 Online
Sp17
Yekaterina Melnik, Astronomy 152 Online, Spring Semester 2017
ReplyDeleteI found it interesting to learn that lower mass stars take much longer to form than higher mass stars, it seems like logically it should be the opposite due to size. I was also disappointed to learn that through the advancement of our knowledge of the stars and how they live and die, we created the most dangerous weapon in existence. I suppose no one could have foreseen the backlash of the discovery. I also agree that when the sun does come to an end, that we will find a way to survive, perhaps people will not live on earth anymore and move somewhere else, or find a way to live in space in spaceships, in any case technology will advance for more than certain over the next 5 billion years. We have already advanced so much and in such a vast amount of time humanity should be able to solve that problem, even though the problem does not concern us, I still have faith that in that future period human beings will not cease to exist.
Hello Professor,
ReplyDeleteWOW! that is interesting! I would in a way wish to see how will life be after the sun dies, if there will still be any. At the same time it seems frightening though.
Alejandra Mora,
Astr 152 OL
Sp 2017
Yessenia Gramajo
ReplyDeleteAstr 152/ Spring 2017
I find it so interesting how long the Sun has been alive. I do believe, once it is time for it to die out, humans will be able to figure out a way to survive without it seeing how far we have come. It is scary to know that the Sun will have to die someday and I would want to know how that would work when the time comes, but obviously none of us will be here any more. I knew that stars die throughout time but the fact that they can die violently was new to me, I was unaware of that. Always learning something new with these lectures!
Hi Professor,
ReplyDeleteI think it is very interesting that this lecture is about the life length of stars. I never considered that a star can die and what happens then. When it comes to the death it is quite shocking how violent it occurs to our solar system. Thank you for sharing this with us, it is very interesting.
Talya Joffe
ASTR 152 Spring 2017 CSUN
Hi Professor,
ReplyDeleteI found it very interesting when you were discussing how a star is formed from a gas cloud. How you compared it to how a skater moves with their arms. A star which is so powerful and has so much power is made from a gas that is not tangible is really interesting.
Good Evening Professor
ReplyDeleteThis lecture was very interesting like most because I learn something new every time I read them. I didn't know like other students that stars die or that they are made from gas. I never thought how stars are made or thought that they could even die but to learn that they do both is amazing.
Ariel Ford
ASTR 152 SP17
I appreciate this information about stars. I've learned the creation of a star and the end of one. It is crazy to know that their life depends on pressure and if one over rules another it will explode. An interesting thing i learned about this post is that stars go through fazes before they die, which is crazy to say that we can know when a star is going to die.
ReplyDeleteIt is amazing to understand the life phase of a star from the birth to the death, and use science method to understand the precise elements of stars makes me feel more the life of stars. Now we view the sunlight as it should be illuminate on us, it becomes a part of people life. So it is hard to imagine the day sun die and what looks the world gonna be.
ReplyDeleteYang Liu
ASTR 152 SP17
Thank you for this information regarding stars professor I liked this a lot. One thing that I didn't know about stars is that the energy is produced at the center and it flows outward producing pressure due to radiation at each layer. The creation of stars is truly amazing.
ReplyDeleteProfessor,
ReplyDeleteI had no idea that stars begin to pulsate once they are reaching closer to their death. I find it interesting that even stars experience changes throughout their life just as humans do. The pulsating of the star must be that little twinkle we notice of a star when star gazing from Earth. Luckily, we won't be around when the sun begins to pulsate and collide with Earth.
Alexis Alvarez
This blog post really got me thinking, the facts about how stars are developed and die are interesting. The sun. Stars are products of dirt, gases and dust. Stars do not live forever, they eventually die and new ones are developed. When astronomers look at the birthplace of the stars it looks like a cold nebula. Shock waves are taking place in space when a star dies, just like when a space shuttle enters the earth. The clouds of gas begin to rotate at a higher speed and begins to eject gas jets. As I continued to read, it all started to make more sense and connect together. Like when Hans Bethe proved that nuclear fusion fuel is what makes the stars burn for so long. Stars just like the sun, are made up hydrogen and helium. The energy is created at the center of the star and expands outward. It is incredible to think that the sun will eventually die, because it is just a big star, it will be 5 billion years away before it happens. But the question you asked, has stuck with me, how will the human population continue without the sun? The sun is crucial to the earth and to human development. Photosynthesis. Oxygen. I really enjoyed this blog post.
ReplyDeleteJuliana DLP
ASTR 152
I wanted to add more to my previous response. It is interesting to learn about the steps that occur before a star dies. They begin to pulsate and their color changes because of the change in energy produced. It is odd because when a plant dies it begins to get small and dry before it dies. And stars are opposite, they get larger before they die. Stars are so complex and fascinating.
DeleteJuliana DLP
Astr152
Kevin Whitmarsh
ReplyDeleteASTR 152 OL
I find it incredible thinking of the endless possibilities of mass destruction a star contains. For something that can begin as a speck of dust can create itself into something of nuclear power. I've known for a while that stars die out after a long period of time. However, I had no idea that their death could be so devastating. The fact that the sun will eventually engulf the earth is not new to me, but the thought of it still surprises me every time I hear it. I do not believe life will be able to continue on for earth when this happens, but it will create new possibilities for life elsewhere.
Its crazy to think that in 5 billion years the Sun will engulf all the plants. Stars are very interesting to read about. I would have never thought that the stars are made out of dust. Its interesting to learn that nuclear fusion keeps the stars shinning bright for thousands and billions of years. Its crazy to learn that the stars pulse when they grow closer to their deaths.
ReplyDeleteLa Vonne Centeno
ReplyDeleteAstr 152/ Spring 17
I find that the idea of stars "living and dying", fascinating. The thought of the sun dying out is actually pretty scary to me. I wonder if the sun dies, will it ever be replaced by any other star? Will it ever die? If it does get replaced, how long after and will it function the same way?
Its amazing how a life of a star is, they're created, start to fall apart after years and then simply die in space. Past scientist through sleepless nights were able to prove these observations and current as well as future scientist will continue to advance in the field with new discoveries.
ReplyDeleteElizabeth E.
SP 17
ASTRO 152
Soraya Gomez
ReplyDeleteAstr 152
Stars work in an interesting and sort of sad way because they are bright and change size until they die. If you observe two stars they could be on either side of the spectrum. One could be bright and the other could be closer to dying. Every star needs balance in order to continue living. If the pressure of a star is off by even a hair it would explode.
Dominic Teran
ReplyDeleteASTRONOMY 152 ONLINE
That is really interesting to actually find out how stars are made. I never really questioned it when I was little but it has popped up in my head every now and again. The most I knew about the topic before this was that gas was majorly involved in some way or another. It is always cool to learn about things that have been around and in just about everyone’s lives for so long.
It is mind blowing how stars are created from basically nothing! The whole life process of stars is just super interesting. What would happen is the sun dies??
ReplyDeleteCarlos Murillo
ReplyDeleteASTR 152 Spring 2017
Hopefully when the sun explodes, humans have become so advanced that the Earth is now vacant, home to nothing but sand and rock as all the resources have been used up. It is very interesting to know how stars are formed, and to realize that we have only just started to learn this information is astonishing.
Hello Professor,
ReplyDeleteThis blog post really had me thinking because I never gave stars an importance so I didn't know how they were created. Finding out that stars are bring from a pile of dirt amazes me. I really enjoyed this blog.
Megan Perez
Astronomy 152 Online
Spring 2017
Hello Professor,
ReplyDeleteIt is interesting to finally find out what that loud shaking noise was from my past! I remember being at home and hearing to sonic booms. One echoing one after the other. It is an experience that I was terrified of because I didn't understand at first. But thanks to this post, I cannot wait to experience another one!
Oyishee Siddiqui
ASTR 152 OL
Zoe Pitko
ReplyDeleteAstr 152
The stars are alive!! This statement might not make sense at a glance, but after reading this article it makes a lot more logical sense! Thanks to Hans Bethe, we now know that the nuclear energy does in fact keep them alive. It’s scary to think stars, much like our sun, have a life cycle like us. Eventually our sun will die, and even though I won’t be here to witness it, it is still a pretty intense topic.
Eleonor Navarro ASTR 152-16522-Spring 2017
ReplyDeleteHello Professor,
I clearly remember the sounds of the sonic booms from years ago. It's crazy how big of an impact it was if the shock waves were able to be heard from miles away. Another thing that stood out to me in this post was the life cycle of stars. It is interesting to me because it makes these inanimate objects feel relatable to humans. I always wondered about the death of the Sun because although it won't happen for another millions of years, I imagine it being a catastrophic event. I love the fact that stars are made of nothing, and it reminds of how we're all made of stars as well.
Hello Professor Choudhary,
ReplyDeleteIt was shocking to find out that higher mass stars take form faster than lower mass stars, because I originally thought the opposite! Another thing I learned from this piece is that just like humans, stars do not last forever! As children, I think most of us were intrigued by the way stars lit up every night. It was very interesting to learn that the sun has been alive for 4.5 billion years, and it will continue to stay alive for another 5 billion years with no problem. The same way you stated that you can not imagine what will happen to humans when the sun dies, strikes me because I thought the same thing! I can not imagine the day that the sun will not light up the earth.
-Ren
Astronomy 152
Learning what goes on in a star's life cycle was interesting, especially since they live so long in comparison to us. It's so weird to think that a star we could be looking at might actually be dead. The sun is our lifeline, and it's pretty morbid thinking about how one day it'll engulf us, though that day is far, far away. Hopefully by then we will have found new places to live.
ReplyDeleteJessica Levin Samarscova
ASTR 152 Spring 2017
the fact that stars so numerous dont last forever and how they're made is literally an explosion and that the sun will die out and take everything with it. Its honestly scary to think how much the sun matters to not only us but the whole solar system. It plays such a vital part that once its gone life will seize to exist for the most part. Im sure this wont happen for centuries to come but its still horrifying to think its inevitable.
ReplyDeleteLauren Chachula
ASTR 152- #16522
Spring 2017
Hi Professor,
ReplyDeleteI admire your optimism, and totally agree with you. We shall manage to survive. The sun is an amazing thing. It gives us light and warmth and without it it will be cold and dark. I can not imagine living without it. It will be a long time if it does happen but we do need a game plan to think of the future.
Natalie Bedrosian
Astr 152
Bertini Nguyen
ReplyDeleteASTR 152 OL
It's hard to imagine a world without the sun or stars. It is not hard to imagine however how our scientists have been studying the stars and how far the progression of our knowledge has become. I am surprised by your optimism by your faith in humanity when the sun is dead and gone.
Michael Somarriba
ReplyDeleteASTR 152
I was interested in how Hans Bethe and his amazing discovery as well as how the sun like stars have a lifetime ofabout 10 billion years.