proton-proton chain
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What About Binary Systems?
In the constellation of Perseus, there is a star named Algol that exists in a binary system. The binary consists of two stars: a massive main-sequence star and a less massive giant. According to what we’ve explored so far…that doesn’t…
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Helium Ignition in Stars
When I first began learning about stars, I expected them to be violent and chaotic places. And to an extent, they certainly are. Pressures are unbelievably high in their cores — high enough to smash protons together, and this is…
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The Adult Life of a Star
Stars are like cars. They need fuel to go. And also like cars, they don’t have an infinite supply. But here’s where the metaphor breaks down. They can never refuel. Yup. That’s right. For their entire lives, stars are stuck…
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What Goes On Inside a Star?
Our sun is undoubtedly the star we know the best. It’s only 93 million miles away — which might seem far, but isn’t that large a distance when you realize that the nearest neighboring star is a whole 4.3 light-years…
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What is the Intercloud Medium?
Stars are like headlights in a fog bank that’s impossibly thick in some places, and so thin as to be transparent in others. Sometimes, we get lucky enough for starlight to light up the fog. Other times, stars shine straight…
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Energy Flow from the Sun’s Core
Ask any climate scientist how we should power our world without fossil fuels, and they’re bound to tell you about wind and solar power. You might be surprised to know that both of these come from the sun. Solar panels…
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The Proton-Proton Chain
Take a wild guess: how much energy do you think the sun generates? Think about it. It definitely generates enough energy to power a world. Humans depend on the photosynthesis of plants, which converts sunlight into energy. And that’s not…
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The Battery of the Sun
Does this image look familiar? It should — these are soap bubbles. Okay, now you’re probably going to ask me how soap bubbles have anything to do with the battery of the sun. Well…you might be surprised to know that…
