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Astronomical Cosmological Extraterrestrial
Red Giants and Phase Transitions
Red giants are extremely
large stars approaching the end of their current life cycle that glow red
because of their current low surface temperature.
All stars pass through this
stage. When a star nears a phase transition, its rising core temperature causes
it to expand. Previously all the helium from converted hydrogen descended to the
heartcore of the star where it was encircled by a hydrogen casing.
Phase Transition Red Giant
Mira
Image Courtesy of M. Karovska
(Harvard-Smithsonian CfA) et al, FOC, ESA, NASA
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Since there was no longer
enough hydrogen to generate the necessary energy to hold up the star's exterior
layers, the star focused its energy inward until the temperature and pressure
were high enough to generate helium burning through carbon fusion.
The star then used the
radiant energy from the helium burning to expand outward again, becoming a Red
Giant.
At this stage, the star
enlarged significantly to many times its original size, but, still generated
about the same amount of energy which caused the surface temperature to
decrease, changing the star's color from a hot white or blue to a cool red.
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Cosmological Extraterrestrial Copyright © 2002-2008 Maureen Grace Burns, Blessings Cornucopia. All Rights Reserved.
Pubic Domain Image Phase Transition Red Giant Mira Courtesy of M. Karovska (Harvard-Smithsonian CfA) et al, FOC, ESA, NASA, [http://antwrp.gsfc.nasa.gov/apod/ap010121.html]. Accessed January 28, 2007.
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