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Our sun is big. But compare to some of these known stars, the sun is relatively small. What makes these stars so big? Is it just more matters and different gravitational pull? Please share your thoughts. Thanks :)

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=YL4cFjmnQT8
http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/List_of_largest_stars

2007-10-11 09:49:45 · 3 answers · asked by Sandy ♥ - semi retired :) 7 in Science & Mathematics Astronomy & Space

3 answers

Just more matter is exactly it. This in turn causes more gravity.

Some stars are also in a different phase of their lives and do expand quite a bit. This last for a relatively short period time however.

2007-10-11 09:58:54 · answer #1 · answered by Anonymous · 0 0

Late in its life, when a star has used all the available hydrogen in its core, it starts burning hydrogen in a shell around the core, and possibly helium within the core. These reactions actually make the star burn brighter, and cause the star to swell up to many times its former size. Normal hydrogen-burning stars are called dwarf stars; these inflated stars are called giants. Our own Sun will extend out to the orbit of Earth when it reaches this stage. Stars much more massive than the Sun become supergiants. Some supergiants would fill our solar system out to Jupiter.

2007-10-11 18:31:33 · answer #2 · answered by injanier 7 · 0 0

Hi. The size of a star is dependent on its age more than its mass. Older stars tend to swell up as part of their life cycle.

2007-10-11 16:57:17 · answer #3 · answered by Cirric 7 · 0 0

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