Evolution of Stars

26.2
 Journal Entry
Why do we study space? What
types of information can we find
in space? What is the most
interesting thing that you have
heard about space?

Discuss as a class…
 Carousel Activity
Write a response to each question on the
poster boards around the room.
(Make sure you go to each poster board)
 Carousel Activity
STOP HERE

6. Discuss answers written in response to

questions.
7. Address misconceptions
8. Confirm concepts before proceeding with
presentation.
 Astronomers’ Technology
*used to study objects in space

1. Optical Telescopes – collect and

magnify visible light
A. Reflecting Optical
B. Refracting Optical
• Radio Telescopes- Collects and
amplifies radio waves
• Spectroscope - Separates light
waves into electromagnetic spectra
1.Feather, Ralph M., Charles W. McLaughlin, Marilyn Thompson, and Dinah Zike. Florida Physical Science with Earth Science. New
York: Glencoe/McGraw Hill, 2006.
 Refracting Optical Telescope
• Uses a convex lens
– Curved outward like the surface
of a ball
• When the lens curves outward
on both sides, it is a double
convex lens.
• Cannot be too large because
the objective lens is only
supported at its edges
– Light passes through the
objective lens.
– The eyepiece then magnifies
the image.
• which also can be a double
convex lens
1.Feather, Ralph M., Charles W. McLaughlin, Marilyn Thompson, and Dinah Zike. Florida Physical Science with Earth Science. New
York: Glencoe/McGraw Hill, 2006.
 Reflecting Optical Telescopes
• Sir Isaac Newton invented in 1680
• Uses a mirror as an objective to reflect light to the
focus.
• Light passes through the open end of a reflecting
telescope and strikes a concave mirror at the base
of the telescope.
– smaller mirror is used to reflect light into the eyepiece
where it is magnified for viewing.
– OR-a person sits inside the telescope and looks through
the eyepiece at the focus.

1.Feather, Ralph M., Charles W. McLaughlin, Marilyn Thompson, and Dinah Zike. Florida Physical Science with Earth Science. New
York: Glencoe/McGraw Hill, 2006.
 Reflecting Optical Telescopes

1.Feather, Ralph M., Charles W. McLaughlin, Marilyn Thompson, and Dinah Zike. Florida Physical Science with Earth Science. New
York: Glencoe/McGraw Hill, 2006.
 Radio Telescope
• Because radio waves
have long wavelengths,
a radio telescope must
be built with a very
large objective 1

• Radio waves also bring

us information about
supernovae, quasars,
pulsars, regions of gas
between the stars, and
interstellar molecules 2

1.Feather, Ralph M., Charles W. McLaughlin, Marilyn Thompson, and Dinah Zike. Florida Physical Science with Earth Science. New
York: Glencoe/McGraw Hill, 2006. 9
2."Cool Cosmos." Welcome to Cool Cosmos! 19 Feb. 2009 <http://coolcosmos.ipac.caltech.edu/cosmic_classroom/multiwavelength_astronomy/multiwavelen
 Game:
Can you identify this?

• Hints:
– Viewed the massive galaxy cluster Abell 2218
• 2,000,000,000 light years away (Remember: light years
measure distance, not time!)
– Famous Space Telescope
• Put in space so that Earth’s atmosphere does not interfere
with lenses’ ability to magnify objects
 Game:
Can you identify this?

HUBBLE SPACE TELESCOPE

Official Hubble Space Telescope Website
What types of space objects does Hubble find?
 Spectroscope
• Technology used to separate light waves into
electromagnetic spectra
– Spectra: individual wavelengths of light
• ROYGBIV
– Color can tell a lot about the star’s composition
• Brightest color in spectrum tells temperature
– Blue is hottest; red is coolest
• Chemical Composition
• Speed and Direction compared to Earth
– Remember: What is speed with direction?
» Velocity
1.Feather, Ralph M., Charles W. McLaughlin, Marilyn Thompson, and Dinah Zike. Florida Physical Science with Earth Science. New
York: Glencoe/McGraw Hill, 2006.
 Spectroscopy Video
1. Put stars in ascending temperature order
2. How can you tell how fast a star is
rotating
3. Name 3 things we can learn about stars
from using a spectroscope.
 Spectroscopy Video
1. Put stars in ascending temperature order
– Red, White, Yellow, Blue
2. How can you tell how fast a star is
rotating
– Observe absorption lines
3. Name 3 things we can learn about stars
from using a spectroscope.
– Various answers
 Life Cycle of a Star

Watch a star grow.

Sea and Sky - Explore the Oceans Below and the Skies Above. 19 Feb. 2009 <http://www.seasky.org/celestial-
objects/assets/images/starlife.jpg>.
 Star Formation
• Read p.823 “How do stars form?”
In your own words, write how stars form.
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 Star Formation
• Gas, Ice and Dust Condense into a Nebula
• Gravitational Force within the nebula increases
and pulls the particles close together
• Because the cloud is unstable, it breaks into
smaller, more stable cloud fragments
• Gravitational force again causes contraction
• Close proximity of particles increases heat
• At 1,000,000K = protostar
• At 10,000,000K fusion begins and Star is born

1.Feather, Ralph M., Charles W. McLaughlin, Marilyn Thompson, and Dinah Zike. Florida Physical Science with Earth Science. New
York: Glencoe/McGraw Hill, 2006.
Star Nebula
Protostar
 Relative Ages of Stars

"Stars - Main Sequence." ASPIRE - Home. 19 Feb. 2009 <http://aspire.cosmic-

ray.org/labs/star_life/starlife_sequence.html>.
 How we measure stars:
H-R Diagrams

• Compares Absolute Magnitude and Temperature

• 90% of all stars are in main sequence (diagonal)
• Higher temperature stars radiate more energy and
have higher absolute magnitudes
1.Feather, Ralph M., Charles W. McLaughlin, Marilyn Thompson, and Dinah Zike. Florida Physical Science with Earth Science. New
York: Glencoe/McGraw Hill, 2006.
 STOP HERE
Interactive HR Diagram

Distribute HR diagrams with questions

 Relative Size of the Sun

1.Feather, Ralph M., Charles W. McLaughlin, Marilyn Thompson, and Dinah Zike. Florida Physical Science with Earth Science. New
York: Glencoe/McGraw Hill, 2006.
 The Sun
Structure:
• Layers:
– Core – fusion occurs here
• Energy produced takes
millions of years to reach
photosphere
– Radiation Layer
• Gasses are ionized
• No electrons remain on
atoms to capture photons
• Fusion energy easily
transfers through this
layer

1.Feather, Ralph M., Charles W. McLaughlin, Marilyn Thompson, and Dinah Zike. Florida Physical Science with Earth Science. New
York: Glencoe/McGraw Hill, 2006.
 The Sun
Structure:
• Layers continued:
– Convection Layer
• Temperature is lower,
photons are absorbed
• Energy from photons is
carried to surface by
convection
• Convection cells =
areas where hot gasses
rise and cooler gasses
sink

1.Feather, Ralph M., Charles W. McLaughlin, Marilyn Thompson, and Dinah Zike. Florida Physical Science with Earth Science. New
York: Glencoe/McGraw Hill, 2006.
 The Sun
Structure:
• Layers continued:
– Photosphere
• surface of sun that
gives light
– Atmosphere
• Chromosphere
• Corona

1.Feather, Ralph M., Charles W. McLaughlin, Marilyn Thompson, and Dinah Zike. Florida Physical Science with Earth Science. New
York: Glencoe/McGraw Hill, 2006.
 Photosphere
• Located at the top of the
convective zone
• Granulation causes
mottled appearance
– Results from rising hot
material and sinking cooler
material within convection
cells
– Granules are
approximately 1000 km
across

1.Feather, Ralph M., Charles W. McLaughlin, Marilyn Thompson, and Dinah Zike. Florida Physical Science with Earth Science. New
York: Glencoe/McGraw Hill, 2006.
 Sunspots
• Cooler areas in photosphere
– appear darker
– Intense magnetic fields
produced
• Prove that the Sun does not
rotate as a solid body
– Scientists can see sunspots at
the equator rotate 6 days faster
than those at 60 degrees north
or south latitudes
• 25 days compared to 31 days
• Not permanent
• Solar activity cycle is 11
year
1.Feather, Ralph M., Charles W. McLaughlin, Marilyn Thompson, and Dinah Zike. Florida Physical Science with Earth Science. New
York: Glencoe/McGraw Hill, 2006.
 Prominences and Flares
• Prominences
– Arching columns of gas that erupt
– Convection causes magnetized
gases to flow upward toward the
photosphere
– If the magnetic field is strong
enough near a pair of sunspots, it
will cause a prominence to loop
from one sunspot to another
• Solar Flares
– 100 million K Solar Flare Simulation
– So energy rich that the Sun’s
magnetic field cannot hold it
– Shoots into space at 600-1000km/s
1.Feather, Ralph M., Charles W. McLaughlin, Marilyn Thompson, and Dinah Zike. Florida Physical Science with Earth Science. New
York: Glencoe/McGraw Hill, 2006.
 10+5
Using Pages 824-825
Write 5 quiz questions using the following
format…Then answer the questions

3. What causes __________?

4. Why did ___ do ____?
5. Explain _____________.
6. What is _________?
7. How does _________?