Star: A celestial body of hot gases with a core like furnace that makes its own thermal energy

Interstellar matter: The material that fills space, made up of gas(mostly hydrogen) and dust

· dust counts only 1% of the total mass of all interstellar matter - small amount but makes it hard for astronomers to see like from distant stars

· Interstellar - 'inter', 'stellar' means between stars

Technology enabled astronomers to 'see' through the dusty curtains of interstellar matter, often called stellar nurseries

Some telescopes -- e.g. radio and infrared are able to detect and record wavelengths of electromagnetic radiation that we cannot see with our eyes

Star begins to form in nebula when gravity starts pulling + acting on chucks of gas and dust

· gravity working = mass grows + material collapses it on itself and contracts

· earliest phase of a star called "protostar"- proto means earliest

· mass stays small = protostar may just shrink + never reach a full star status

o

· If it collects enough mass of dust + gas -> core will reach about 10 000 000 Celsius
hydrogen atoms combine to form the heavier element, helium = whole process called nuclear fusion

- this point, atoms fuse together to form a larger single atom

o creates an enormous amount of energy

·

o when it reaches this stage, the star starts glow

o hydrogen atoms combine to form the heavier element, helium = whole process called nuclear fusion

	Created by Rachel Tam over 8 years ago

Notes for Chapter 11.1 - from the BC Science Textbook