Red stars are cooler because they are converting hydrogen to helium at a slower rate, therefore have a "cooler" surface temperature. These stars can include cooler, low mass stars called red dwarfs, or could be older stars that have converted all of the hydrogen to helium, and the star expands, causing higher internal temperatures, but cooler surface temperatures, giving them a red color. There are two types: red giants, and red supergiants. One example of a red giant that are visible in the sky right now in the sky is Aldebbaran in Taurus. These stars' cooler surface temperatues emit energy (radiation) at a longer wavelength, shifted towards the red end of the visible light spectrum, and I'll give a brief explanation later in this post.
Blue and blue white stars are usually the most massive, and the fusion of hydrogen to helium takes place at a faster rate, resulting in hotter surface temperatures. These stars emit radiation at a shorter wavelength, shifted towards the blue end of the visible light spectrum. Rigel in Orion and Sirius (the "Dog Star") are two examples.
A brief explanation of the visible light spectrum: visible light (light that is visible to the human eye) can be broken down into colors that make up visible light. Remember how a prism casts a rainbow on the walls? A rainbow? Remember the colors? This is called a spectrum. The colors are easy to remember and are important in Astronomy. They are red (coolest temperatures), orange (slightly hotter), yellow (the color of our sun), green , blue, indigo, violet (the hottest). A star's spectrum can tell astronomers alot about the star in question, such as temperature, composition, and much more.
Visible light is only a small portion of what is called the electromagnetic spectrum. We are unable to see all of the radiation on the electromagnetic spectrum, which includes radio waves, microwave, ultraviolet(remember that awful sunburn you got last summer?) and gamma rays.
2007-01-07 12:33:12
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answer #1
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answered by Aspasia 5
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The color of a star is dependent on two quantities: the energy emitted by the star and the total surface area of the star. For a given amount of energy the smaller the surface area of the star the bluer it appears to be. Conversely, if two stars have the same surface area, the bluer star emits the greater energy (i.e., it is hotter). So, a white dwarf emits a small amount of energy, but because it is so small it is white hot. On the other hand, Betelgeuse emits an enormous amount of energy (far more than any white dwarf) but because it is so large it appears red and cool.
HTH
Charles
2007-01-07 11:57:25
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answer #2
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answered by Charles 6
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the shade transformations with the nice and cozy temperature of the in call for human being (or any merchandise), and in no way the length. There are red giants and blue giants. it truly is a lot extra instantly ahead for a great in call for human being to be cooler on the "floor" than a smaller in call for human being. it truly is touching on to a phenomenon noted as "black field radiations." An merchandise, no count number what the fabric or its "organic shade" radiates electromagnetic radiation because of its temperature. At room temperature, that radiation is infrared, and may want to't be considered with the bare eyes. the hotter the temperature, the further lively the common radiation emitted. once the nice and cozy temperature turns into seen, it starts with darkish brownish-red, progresses to red, yellow and ultimately blue. If an merchandise is amazingly hot, many of the waves change into ultraviolet, hotter=X-rays, and the favored=gamma rays.
2016-12-01 23:40:25
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answer #3
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answered by anuj 3
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Hotter stars emit more energy so they emit higher energy wavelengths. The blue wavelength is shorter than red, which means that it has higher energy than red.
There are even higher energy stars too-- they emit violets and even UV. But these appear blue to us because we can't see those colors well.
And stars emit more colors than we see. It just depends on which colors they emit the most (the peak colors).
2007-01-07 11:56:39
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answer #4
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answered by Ms. K. 3
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Blue light is higher energy than red, an object giving off blue light is hotter than one giving off red. Accorting to Weins law, the hotter an object is, the shorter the wavelenth it radiates. Blue light has shorter wavelength than red.
2007-01-07 14:24:03
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answer #5
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answered by ZeedoT 3
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They color indicates heat. ROY G BIV (Red orange yellow green blue indigo and violet). As you go up the color scale, the color indicates the wave length. Color can indicate heat. The faster the vibration of waves indicates hydrogen, helium, whatever, is burning off at a higher faster rate! I hope this helps.
2007-01-07 11:50:28
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answer #6
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answered by julygirly22 2
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Blue is prettier, too.
2007-01-07 11:50:32
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answer #7
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answered by ~*Jess*~ 2
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