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| | As you can see, I have revised this article extensively. I thank all those who contributed to the earlier version of the article. Some of the theories listed, though not what I would agree with, are nevertheless valuable as documents of people's thinking on the subject of the Sun and other subjects.--[[User:TerryH|TerryH]]<sup>[[User talk:TerryH|Talk]]</sup> 13:50, 6 March 2008 (EST) | | As you can see, I have revised this article extensively. I thank all those who contributed to the earlier version of the article. Some of the theories listed, though not what I would agree with, are nevertheless valuable as documents of people's thinking on the subject of the Sun and other subjects.--[[User:TerryH|TerryH]]<sup>[[User talk:TerryH|Talk]]</sup> 13:50, 6 March 2008 (EST) |
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| | + | ==Spectral Classification 101== |
| | + | A star's size and colour are determined as follows: |
| | + | '''Colour:''' |
| | + | |
| | + | *O = very hot, bright, bluish in colour (most of an 'O' star's output is in the ultraviolet range); |
| | + | *B = very hot, blue in colour; |
| | + | *A = hot, bluish-white in colour; |
| | + | *F = hot, white with a tinge of yellow in colour; |
| | + | *G = warm, yellow in colour; |
| | + | *K = cool, orange in colour; |
| | + | *M = cool, red in colour. |
| | + | |
| | + | '''Size''' |
| | + | |
| | + | * '''I''' supergiants |
| | + | ** '''Ia-0''' (hypergiants or extremely luminous supergiants) |
| | + | ** '''Ia''' (luminous supergiants) |
| | + | ** '''Iab''' (intermediate luminous supergiants) |
| | + | ** '''Ib''' (less luminous supergiants) |
| | + | * '''II''' bright giants |
| | + | ** '''IIa''', |
| | + | ** '''IIab''' |
| | + | ** '''IIb''' |
| | + | * '''III''' normal giant stars |
| | + | ** '''IIIa''' |
| | + | ** '''IIIab''' |
| | + | ** '''IIIb''' |
| | + | * '''IV''' subgiant stars |
| | + | ** '''IVa''' |
| | + | <!--** '''IVab'''--> |
| | + | ** '''IVb''' |
| | + | * '''V''' main sequence stars (dwarfs) |
| | + | ** '''Va''' |
| | + | <!--** '''Vab'''--> |
| | + | ** '''Vb''' |
| | + | * '''VI''' subdwarf stars (rarely used) |
| | + | * '''VII''' white dwarfs (rarely used) |
| | + | Thus Sol is a G2 (*yellow*) V (main sequence dwarf) star, not ''"A "V" star in this class is in the fifth level of luminosity&mdasha yellow dwarf star."'' The number after the letter determines the luminosity (and thus temperature) of the star within its colour type - a G0 V star is slightly hotter, brighter, larger and more massive than a G2 V which, in turn, is a lot brighter, hotter, larger and more massive than a G8 V star. [[User:HumbleServant|HumbleServant]] 17:11, 28 April 2008 (EDT) |