Why are some stars much hotter than others?
Quick Answer
A star’s temperature depends mainly on its mass, composition, and stage of life. More massive stars generally have much hotter surfaces and cores than smaller ones.
The Full Story
A star’s core temperature rises with mass because gravity compresses the star more strongly. That higher core temperature speeds up fusion, which produces more energy and usually a hotter, brighter star. Surface color is related to temperature: cooler stars appear red, the Sun appears yellow-white, and very hot stars appear blue-white. As stars evolve, their temperature can change dramatically, such as when they swell into red giants. This is why the night sky contains a wide range of stellar colors and brightnesses.
Key Facts
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"Why do some stars blaze blue while others glow red?"
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