Stellar Guide
By: Cianna Stovall: May 12, 2016
A Stellar Guide to Elements in Spectrum of the Stars
This is a Spectrum
This is a Periodic Table
This is a star chart
A Stars Color
Different Types of Element Fusion in a Star
Star Layers
Structure of a Neutron Star
Star Structure
Star colors do not differ to the extent where there are bright pink and neon green stars floating around, they all appear somewhat red, yellow, white, or blue. Hydrogen (H) is the primary element in a star that causes it to look red. The rapid speed the extremely hot atoms are going in a star can cause the atoms to fuse. Two Hydrogen atoms make up a Helium atom. This is called Hydrogen fusion. Stars that are more red are typically newer stars due to the fact they do not have many helium atoms because of minimal Hydrogen fusion.
The light of Helium appears to be yellow. More yellow makes an older star because it had more time for fusion to occur. Our star, the Sun, is a yellow star due to the temperature, not because of the Helium content. There is about 75% Hydrogen left in out Sun.
The Hydrogen Spectrum
The Helium Spectrum
Color Spectrum with Elements
Other Elements in Stars
A Carbon star is typically a red star that had Carbon and Oxygen in it's atmosphere. The two elements combined form Carbon Monoxide and after a while all the Oxygen is consumed giving a Carbon star it's twinkle. Stars like the Sun have a higher Oxygen level in it's atmosphere, keeping it cool, yellow, and an Oxygen-rich-star. Carbon has very distinct spectral characteristics causing astronomers to be able to identify Carbon stars.
The burning process of Neon in a star is a set of nuclear fusion reactions. Neon require very high temperatures to burn. Neon is burnt in a star after Carbon runs out, making the core of the star primarily Neon, Magnesium, and Oxygen. This allows the rest of the Carbon to be burnt in a "shell" and for Hydrogen and Helium to be burnt of the surface of the star.Neon can also appear to be red.
Sillicon has a very short burning period and is the final stage for a massive star that has run out of other, more useful elements. It can appear to be a white yellow color, only because like Oxygen, on it's spectrum it is predominantly green. You can identify this element in an older star.