Stellar Evolution Essay Example

to the star's outer layers causing it to expand. Thus post main sequence star is characterized by the expansion and cooling of the envelope (the star gets redder) and increase in luminosity due to the increase in the temperature of the hydrogen burning shell. This continues until the star finds another source of core energy generation.

The star's core has heated to 100 million degrees which is sufficient for the fusion of Helium into carbon. The star is stable once more since pressure and gravity are equal. The luminosity generated by the core fusion of Helium into Carbon is far greater than the luminosity brought about by fusion of Hydrogen into Helium. As a Red Giant the star has a lifetime of about 10% of its main sequence lifetime.Red Giant Star is a star at its old age. Stellar evolution comes to an end when the core runs out of fuel. The star then collapses and depending on the type of star, it may turn into a white dwarf, a neutron star or a black hole when it dies. Stellar evolution is a process taking place continuously across the universe as stars come and go.