Stellar Evolution
The changes that occur during a star 's life are called stellar evolution. The mass of a star determines the ultimate fate of a star. Stars that are more massive burn their fuel quicker and lead shorter lives. Because stars shine, they must change. The energy they lose by emitting light must come from the matter of which the star is made. This will lead to a change in its composition. Stars are formed from the material between stars, shine until they exhaust their fuel, and then die a predictable death based upon their initial mass.
From atoms to stars
Understanding of the processes of stellar evolution came as a result of twentieth century advances in both astronomy and atomic physics. Advances in quantum theory and improved models of atomic structure made it clear to astronomers that deeper understanding of the life cycle of stars and of cosmological theories explaining the vastness of space was to be forever tied to advances in understanding inner workings of the universe on an atomic scale. In addition, a complete understanding of the energies of mass conversion in stars was provided by German-American physicist Albert Einstein 's (1879-1955) special theory of relativity and his relation of mass to energy (E = mc2, or energy [E ] equals mass [m] times the speed of light [c] squared).
Indian-born American astrophysicist Subrahmanyan Chandrasekhar (1910-1995) first articulated the evolution of stars into supernovae, white dwarfs, and neutron stars; and predicted the conditions required for the formation of black holes, which were subsequently confirmed by observation in the last years of the twentieth century.
Stellar mechanics
The material between stars occurs in clouds of varying mass. By processes that are still not completely clear, but involve cooling of the cloud-center with the formation of molecules, and the squeezing of the cloud by outside starlight or perhaps astellar explosion, the cloud begins to collapse under its own self-gravity. The collapse
From atoms to stars
Understanding of the processes of stellar evolution came as a result of twentieth century advances in both astronomy and atomic physics. Advances in quantum theory and improved models of atomic structure made it clear to astronomers that deeper understanding of the life cycle of stars and of cosmological theories explaining the vastness of space was to be forever tied to advances in understanding inner workings of the universe on an atomic scale. In addition, a complete understanding of the energies of mass conversion in stars was provided by German-American physicist Albert Einstein 's (1879-1955) special theory of relativity and his relation of mass to energy (E = mc2, or energy [E ] equals mass [m] times the speed of light [c] squared).
Indian-born American astrophysicist Subrahmanyan Chandrasekhar (1910-1995) first articulated the evolution of stars into supernovae, white dwarfs, and neutron stars; and predicted the conditions required for the formation of black holes, which were subsequently confirmed by observation in the last years of the twentieth century.
Stellar mechanics
The material between stars occurs in clouds of varying mass. By processes that are still not completely clear, but involve cooling of the cloud-center with the formation of molecules, and the squeezing of the cloud by outside starlight or perhaps astellar explosion, the cloud begins to collapse under its own self-gravity. The collapse