| 10.2 |
What is a star?
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If you happen to have the opportunity to
look up at the sky on a cloudless and moonless night away from the city, the
number of stars and strange blurred clouds appear to be too many to physically
be counted. These are our Universal neighbours. Most of the lights you see are
Stars, some are also Galaxies. |
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Stars are very large self- luminous
structures that provide the process of creation of a range of sub-atomic
structures, as well as the generation of intense ergon particle fields
(Electromagnetic Spectrum) by which other structures that do not create
sub-atomic particles (such as planets) may be seen over short distances. The
word luminous comes from the Latin word lumen, which means light.
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All galaxies are essentially made up of
stars and their companion solar systems of planets, asteroids, comets and in
some cases lifeforms. We will begin with the characteristics of stars, their
birth, development and eventual death.
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| 10.2.1
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What makes stars shine? |
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Stars are mostly made of two elements-
hydrogen (30% to 80%) and helium (15% to 45%), hydrogen being the simplest most
abundant atomic level structure in the Universe. They are also made up of a
host of sub-atomic particles, constantly streaming in and out, such as Photons
(light) Hetons (heat) Protoactives/Neutroactives (radiation), Magnetons
(Magnetism) and of course Electrons/Positrons (Electricity).
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Stars are so large, that at their centre
the relative het is so high, nuclear reactions (also called thermonuclear
reactions) of an immense scale occur and material such as hydrogen is broken
down into its sub-atomic particles and new atomic configurations are created,
including the fusing of hydrogen atoms into helium atoms. (We will discuss
these processes in greater detail in a moment). |
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The Earth, for instance, orbits a star,
we call the Sun. The particles bursting out from the Sun hit the surface of the
Earth, as they do to other planets and we see het, magnetism, ultraviolet light
and visible light.
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We call the range of particles emanating
from our Sun and other stars- the electromagnetic spectrum. This is mainly due
to the general behaviour of all particles consistent with the particles fields
of electrons and magnetism. We will discuss this spectrum of particles later in
this chapter. |
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The same process of particle emission
occurs, but at a variety of rates and particle proportions for all stars in our
own galaxy - The Milky Way, as well as all other galaxies in the Universe. When
we look up at night and count those twinkling stars, we are seeing the results
of visibly billions upon billions of nuclear fusion reactions. |
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| 10.2.2 |
The anatomy of a star |
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The following description is for Dwarf
Stars (of which our star- the Sun is a member). The structure of a star is best
considered as consisting of a series of concentric spherical shells.
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The core |
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The core - the core of a star is relatively small, being less than one
thousandth of the total volume. However, the density of the core is, however,
very high, being 160g per cc. This is where the most powerful strong nuclear
fusion reactions occur such as hydrogen into helium.
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The radioactive zone |
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Surrounding the core is the radioactive
zone. This region also remains highly dense and where protoactives, magnetons
neutron, Hetons (towards the edge of the zone) and photons are created.
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The convective zone |
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Around the radiative zone is the
convective zone. This is the transit region where particles attracted back to
the Sun interact with intense kinesis with the new particles from the Core and
Radioactive Zone. This could also be called the first "assembly" zone where
groupings form of protons to neutrons and light particle cores (photons, plus
magnetons). Here, particles such as Photons and Hetons return and move
outwards, creating currents of particles bringing in new material for the
Radioactive and Solar core.
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The photosphere |
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Outside the convection zone is the
photosphere, with a temperature of about 6000K from which the newly "packaged"
particles are radiated out into space. This is the source of the Sun's visible
light and other radiation.
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The Chromosphere |
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Beyond this is a more rarefied layer known
as the chromosphere, whose temperature is significantly lower at about 4,300K.
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The solar atmosphere (The Corona) |
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Beyond this is the solar atmosphere, known
as the corona, which is of very low density, but in which the temperature rises
again rapidly to around 1million K . This is due principally to the fact that
it is at the Corona that the ergon particle fields return to the star, causing
two groups of particles (one going out and one coming in) to come into close
contact.
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The inner interstellar atmosphere |
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Beyond the solar atmosphere is the much
wider inner interstellar atmosphere where smaller planets and sulphur/ammonia
planets are normally found. This area is rich in radiation and electrons,
magnetism. |
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The outer interstellar atmosphere |
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The outer interstellar atmosphere extends
to a radius of 1.5 Light years in radius including larger brown dwarfs and
asteroid fields. The lifezone is between the inner interstellar atmosphere and
the outer interstellar atmosphere field meeting points.
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Unfortunately, the concept that (a) the
sun has an atmosphere and (b) we (the Earth) are living within the atmosphere
of the SUN is rarely considered. When we look at the SUN, we often consider our
selves separate, remote. Yet we see because there is sufficient density of
sunlight within this part of the SUN. Yes, we are part of the SUN. The vast
majority 70% of all mass in our solar system is in the layers below the Corona. |
| 10.2.3 |
The numbers of stars in the Universe |
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It has always been apparent that there are many
thousands of stars, but it is only comparatively recently that humanity has had
any real proof-based statistical idea of how enormous their number really is.
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To explain distances of such a vast scale, we will
need to use the unit of measure called a "Light Year". A Light Year is the
distance traveled by a photon particle over a one year period. The velocity of
a light particle is estimated to be around 990,000 km per second. Therefore 1
light year equals around 9.4 million million km. |
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In our local region of space (around 10 light years in
radius), there is around fifty stars. In our Galaxy (around 50,000 light years
in radius) there is over 100 Billion stars. In a radius of 5 Million Light
years, there is estimated to be over 1000 Billion Stars. In a radius of 1000
Million Light years, there is estimated to be over A Million Billion Stars. And
there are literally billion of galaxies, a few million identified so far.
Therefore the number of Stars in the Universe is certainly larger than a
Billion Billion Billion Billion Billion Billion (etc). Truly the number of
Stars can never exactly be known.
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