798
edits
Changes
Jump to navigation
Jump to search
mLine 1:
Line 1: − {{Image request}}+ − {{Image request}}+ Line 14:
Line 14: − +
Added images
[[Image:Redgiants.png|thumb|right|250px|Comparison of the size of the supergiant [[Antares]] to the giant [[Arcturus]] and our [[Sun]], a main sequence dwarf.]]
'''Supergiants''' are a class of star that are among the most massive and luminous [[star|stars]] found. The Yerkes spectral classification place supergiants with the luminosity classes of '''1a''' (luminous supergiants), '''lab''' (intermediate luminous supergiants), or '''1b''' (less luminous supergiants). The largest and most luminous supergiants are termed '''hypergiants''' with a luminosity class of 0, although the term is loosely defined. Supergiants also vary greatly in their radius, ranging from 30 times the diameter of the [[sun]] to over 1000 times.
'''Supergiants''' are a class of star that are among the most massive and luminous [[star|stars]] found. The Yerkes spectral classification place supergiants with the luminosity classes of '''1a''' (luminous supergiants), '''lab''' (intermediate luminous supergiants), or '''1b''' (less luminous supergiants). The largest and most luminous supergiants are termed '''hypergiants''' with a luminosity class of 0, although the term is loosely defined. Supergiants also vary greatly in their radius, ranging from 30 times the diameter of the [[sun]] to over 1000 times.
===Blue Supergiants===
===Blue Supergiants===
[[Image:Gamma_Orionis_Algol_B_Sun.png|thumb|right|300px|Interpretation of [[Gamma Orionis]] (left), [[Algol|Algol B]] (right), the [[Sun]] (center), and a [[brown dwarf]] and planets of our [[solar system]], to show the differences in size.]]
Blue supergiants are among the hottest and brightest stars in the universe, they are classified as spectral class O or B. They have surface temperatures between 20,000K and 50,000K. Typically they are not as large as red supergiants and their radii virtually never exceed 25 solar radii in size.<ref name="illinois"> http://www.astro.illinois.edu/~jkaler/sow/star_intro.html#highmass</ref> Because of their extreme luminosity, such stars are highly represented in the night sky from [[Earth]] even though they are very scarce. Because of their large mass and intense temperature, they have very short lifespans and are typically observed in [[open cluster|open clusters]], [[irregular galaxy|irregular galaxies]], or the arms of [[spiral galaxy|spiral galaxies]].
Blue supergiants are among the hottest and brightest stars in the universe, they are classified as spectral class O or B. They have surface temperatures between 20,000K and 50,000K. Typically they are not as large as red supergiants and their radii virtually never exceed 25 solar radii in size.<ref name="illinois"> http://www.astro.illinois.edu/~jkaler/sow/star_intro.html#highmass</ref> Because of their extreme luminosity, such stars are highly represented in the night sky from [[Earth]] even though they are very scarce. Because of their large mass and intense temperature, they have very short lifespans and are typically observed in [[open cluster|open clusters]], [[irregular galaxy|irregular galaxies]], or the arms of [[spiral galaxy|spiral galaxies]].