3.4 Stars

• Stars
• Middelbare school
• havo, vwo
• Leerjaar 1

Astronomy

Stars

This lesson

• Recap
  
• The size of our sun
  
• Why the night sky changes
  
• The constellations
  
• The life cycle of a star
  

Learning goals

Describe what a star is

Name the names of several stars

Explain why the night sky looks different every night

Describe what constellations are, and what we use them for

Describe the life cycle of a star and name the names of the phases it goes through

Name the process a star uses to generate energy and explain how it works   

Stars

What is a Star

A star is a luminous ball of gas, mostly hydrogen and helium, held together by its own gravity. 

How big is our sun?

The two pole stars

Polaris

Sigma octantis

The constellations

• A collection of stars in which we can see a pattern
• Easier to describe stars in constellations rather than individual stars
• The constellations can give us a map of the night sky

Aquarius

Aries

Cassiopeia

The life cycle of a star

The life cycle of a star

• What is the life cycle of star?
• Do this in pairs, write down what you know
• Do not use the book
•  5 minutes

The life cycle of a star

• Nebula (cloud of gas and dust) — gets pulled together by it's own gravity
  
• This starts a process called nuclear fusion (hydrogen turns into helium). This is an energy generating process.
  
• This is called the main sequence
• Red giant: will swallow Mercury and Venus— white dwarf — black dwarf (invisible)
• Super red giant — supernova — neutron star — black hole

Nebula

Main sequence star

Nucleur fusion

Homework

3.4 The workbook exercises

Learning goals

Describe what a star is

Name the names of several stars

Explain why the night sky looks different every night

Describe what constellations are, and what we use them for

Describe the life cycle of a star and name the names of the phases it goes through

Name the process a star uses to generate energy and explain how it works