https://padlet.com/smithty/g4lx3lmpkj9rq751 star timeline en-us 2021-03-04 03:39:55 UTC 2025-10-26 14:39:08 UTC hello@padlet.com https://padlet.net/icons/png/1f60f.png smithty https://padlet.com/smithty/g4lx3lmpkj9rq751/wish/1267098143 They need what's called an interstellar medium, which helps create that gasses and dust needed to form the protostar. They must achieve good pressures and temperatures before it can start. (Black Hole)]]> 2021-03-04 03:42:39 UTC https://padlet.com/smithty/g4lx3lmpkj9rq751/wish/1267098143 smithty https://padlet.com/smithty/g4lx3lmpkj9rq751/wish/1267102077 Protostar, which sucks in all the dust and gasses, and stars begin when clusters of gas and dust come together and more stars move into the clump that's forming. While this is occurring, it's referred to as a protostar. Before becoming an actual star, it has to reach a state of equilibrium, to balance out between pressure and gravity.]]> 2021-03-04 03:44:50 UTC https://padlet.com/smithty/g4lx3lmpkj9rq751/wish/1267102077 smithty https://padlet.com/smithty/g4lx3lmpkj9rq751/wish/1267106724 A star will start out young, maintaining the equilibrium for a while, and then once it becomes older and the equal pressure and gravity dies down, the star begins to die down. This will be the end of the star cycle.]]> 2021-03-04 03:47:21 UTC https://padlet.com/smithty/g4lx3lmpkj9rq751/wish/1267106724 smithty https://padlet.com/smithty/g4lx3lmpkj9rq751/wish/1267109655 When the protostar starts fusing hydrogen into helium, it is then considered a star. One factor that makes a star a main sequence star is if it's big enough. A star with less mass can't be main sequence, but it depends on how long it takes, typically billions of years.]]> 2021-03-04 03:48:54 UTC https://padlet.com/smithty/g4lx3lmpkj9rq751/wish/1267109655 smithty https://padlet.com/smithty/g4lx3lmpkj9rq751/wish/1267112887 Before and after main sequence, the star has to do a few things to achieve equilibrium. The first step is to achieve nuclear fusion which means gravity should equal gas pressure. Then, it will run out of fuel, fusion will stop, and the core will contract. One there's an increase in temperature, fusion will restart, and this is how everything is equalized.]]> 2021-03-04 03:50:37 UTC https://padlet.com/smithty/g4lx3lmpkj9rq751/wish/1267112887 smithty https://padlet.com/smithty/g4lx3lmpkj9rq751/wish/1267115158 Typically, stars will remain in the main sequence for about 50 million years, but once it runs out of hydrogen to fuse, it will have reached the end of its main sequence. Stars will then end up burning helium instead, and then carbon follows. This will confirm the end of the star, bigger stars tend to run out of fuel faster since it has to use more resources to maintain equilibrium.]]> 2021-03-04 03:51:55 UTC https://padlet.com/smithty/g4lx3lmpkj9rq751/wish/1267115158 smithty https://padlet.com/smithty/g4lx3lmpkj9rq751/wish/1267118177 Stars become red giants when they burn helium, which tends to release more energy. Depending on the size, the star could do a number of things after main sequence. Massive stars will tend to become a red giant, supernova, where it will explode and then form a black hole. Medium sized stars will become a red giant, nebula, and then a white dwarf, and a low mass star will just become a white dwarf.]]> 2021-03-04 03:53:22 UTC https://padlet.com/smithty/g4lx3lmpkj9rq751/wish/1267118177