6
edits
Changes
Jump to navigation
Jump to search
Line 9:
Line 9: − +
no edit summary
==Portrait==
==Portrait==
Wolf-rayet stars are massive stars nearing the end of their lives (possibly evolved from massive class O stars). Typically they have a mass of over 20 suns, with surface temperature running between 25,000K to 50,000K, making them among the largest and hottest stars in the cosmos. Their atmospheres are unusually thick in comparison to other stars. One of the most notable features of a Wolf-Rayet star is the incredible mass loss due to intense stellar winds of up to 2000 km/s. All stars lose mass over time, however the rate of mass loss for a Wolf-Rayet star is very high, between 10<sup>-4</sup> and 10<sup>-5</sup> solar masses a year. In comparison, the [[Sun]] losses only around 10<sup>-14</sup> solar masses a year.<ref name="nz">http://www.peripatus.gen.nz/astronomy/wolraysta.html</ref>
Wolf-rayet stars are massive stars nearing the end of their lives (possibly evolved from massive class O stars). Typically they have a mass of over 20 solar masses, with surface temperature running between 25,000K to 50,000K, making them among the largest and hottest stars in the universe. Their atmospheres are unusually thick in comparison to other stars. One of the most notable features of a Wolf-Rayet star is the incredible mass loss due to intense stellar winds of up to 2000 km/s. All stars lose mass over time, however the rate of mass loss for a Wolf-Rayet star is very high, between 10<sup>-4</sup> and 10<sup>-5</sup> solar masses a year. In comparison, the [[Sun]] losses only around 10<sup>-14</sup> solar masses a year.<ref name="nz">http://www.peripatus.gen.nz/astronomy/wolraysta.html</ref>
The ferocious winds are caused when the various elements, such as carbon, oxygen and nitrogen, are created in the star's core reach the surface over time. As these elements accumulate on the surface, they absorb much of intense light of the star, causing a powerfully strong stellar wind to start blowing from the surface of the star. This wind becomes so thick, it obscures the star itself.<ref>http://imagine.gsfc.nasa.gov/docs/ask_astro/answers/980603a.html</ref>
The ferocious winds are caused when the various elements, such as carbon, oxygen and nitrogen, are created in the star's core reach the surface over time. As these elements accumulate on the surface, they absorb much of intense light of the star, causing a powerfully strong stellar wind to start blowing from the surface of the star. This wind becomes so thick, it obscures the star itself.<ref>http://imagine.gsfc.nasa.gov/docs/ask_astro/answers/980603a.html</ref>