Giant star

A giant star is a star with substantially larger radius and luminosity than a main sequence star of the same surface temperature.^[1] Typically, giant stars have radii between 10 and 100 solar radii and luminosities between 10 and 1,000 times that of the Sun. Stars still more luminous than giants are referred to as supergiants and hypergiants.^[2][3] A hot, luminous main sequence star may also be referred to as a giant.^[4] Apart from this, because of their large radii and luminosities, giant stars lie above the main sequence (luminosity class V in the Yerkes spectral classification) on the Hertzsprung-Russell diagram and correspond to luminosity classes II or III.^[5]

Contents 1 Formation 2 Examples 3 See also 4 References 5 External links

Formation

A star becomes a giant star after all the hydrogen available for fusion at its core has been depleted and, as a result, it has left the main sequence.^[5] A star whose initial mass is less than approximately 0.25 solar masses will not become a giant star. For most of their lifetimes, such stars have their interior thoroughly mixed by convection and so they can continue fusing hydrogen for a time in excess of 10¹² years, much longer than the current age of the Universe. Eventually, however, they will develop a radiative core, subsequently exhausting hydrogen in the core and burning hydrogen in a shell surrounding the core. (Stars with mass in excess of 0.16 solar masses may expand at this point, but will never become very large.) Shortly thereafter the star's supply of hydrogen will be completely exhausted and it will become a helium white dwarf.^[6]

If a star is more massive than 0.25 solar masses, then when it consumes all of the hydrogen in its core available for fusion, the core will begin to contract and hydrogen will begin to fuse to helium in a shell around the helium-rich core, and the portion of the star outside the shell expands and cools. During this portion of its evolution, labeled the subgiant branch on the Hertzsprung-Russell diagram, the luminosity of the star remains approximately constant and its surface temperature decreases. Eventually the star will start to ascend the red giant branch on the Hertzsprung-Russell diagram. At this point, the surface temperature of the star, now typically a red giant, will remain approximately constant as its luminosity and radius increase drastically. The core will continue to contract, raising its temperature.^{[7], § 5.9.}

If the star's mass, when on the main sequence, was below approximately 0.5 solar masses, it is thought that it will never attain the central temperatures necessary to fuse helium.^{[8], p. 169.} It will therefore remain a hydrogen-fusing red giant until it eventually becomes a helium white dwarf.^{[7], § 4.1, 6.1.} Otherwise, when the core temperature reaches approximately 10⁸ K, helium will begin to fuse to carbon and oxygen in the core by the triple-alpha process.^{[7],§ 5.9, chapter 6.} The energy generated by helium fusion causes the core to expand. This causes the pressure in the surrounding hydrogen-burning shell to decrease, which reduces its energy-generation rate. The luminosity of the star decreases, its outer envelope contracts again, and the star leaves the red giant branch.^[9] Its subsequent evolution will depend on its mass. If not very massive, it may be found in the horizontal branch on the Hertzsprung-Russell diagram, or its position in the diagram may move in loops.^{[7], chapter 6.} If the star is not heavier than approximately 8 solar masses, it will eventually exhaust the helium at its core and begin to fuse helium in a shell around the core. It will then increase in luminosity again as, now an AGB star, it ascends the asymptotic giant branch of the Hertzsprung-Russell diagram. After the star sheds most of its mass, its core will remain as a carbon-oxygen white dwarf.^{[7], § 7.1–7.4.}

For main-sequence stars with masses great enough to eventually fuse carbon (approximately 8 solar masses)^{[7], p. 189}, this picture must be modified in many ways, as they will become Blue giants which will continue fusion. These stars do not increase greatly in luminosity after leaving the main sequence, but they will become redder. They may become red supergiants, or mass loss may cause them to become blue supergiants or with insufficient mass become Bright giants.^{[10], pp. 33–35;  [2]} Eventually, they will become white dwarfs composed of oxygen and neon, or, if over 9 solar masses, will undergo a core-collapse supernova to form neutron stars, or black holes.^{[7], § 7.4.4–7.8.}

Examples

Well-known giant stars of various colors include:

• Alcyone (η Tauri), a blue-white (B-type) giant,^[11] the brightest star in the Pleiades.^[12]
• Thuban (α Draconis), a white (A-type) giant.^[13]
• σ Octantis, a white (F-type) giant.^[14]
• α Aurigae Aa, a yellow-white (G-type) giant, one of the stars making up Capella.^[15]
• Arcturus (α Bootes), an orange (K-type) giant.^[16]
• Mira (ο Ceti), a red (M-type) giant.^[17]

See also

• Blue giant
• Hypergiant
• Red giant
• Supergiant

References

External links

• Interactive giant star comparison.

Star Evolution Formation Pre–main sequence Main sequence Horizontal branch Asymptotic giant branch Dredge-up Instability strip Red clump PG1159 star Mira variable Planetary nebula Protoplanetary nebula Luminous red nova Luminous blue variable Wolf–Rayet star Supernova impostor Supernova Hypernova Hertzsprung–Russell diagram Color–color diagram Protostars Molecular cloud H II region Bok globule Young stellar object Herbig–Haro object Hayashi track Hayashi limit Henyey track Orion T Tauri FU Orionis Herbig Ae/Be Luminosity class Subdwarf Dwarf Blue Red Subgiant Giant Blue Red Bright giant Supergiant Blue Red Yellow Hypergiant Yellow Blue straggler Spectral classification O B A F G K M Be OB Subdwarf B Late-type Peculiar Am Ap/Bp Oscillating Barium Carbon CH Extreme helium Lambda Boötis Lead Mercury-manganese S Shell Technetium Remnants White dwarf Black dwarf Helium planet Neutron star Pulsar Magnetar Stellar black hole Compact star Quark Exotic Stellar core: EF Eridani B Failed and theoretical stars Substellar object Brown dwarf Sub-brown dwarf Planetar Boson star Dark-matter star Quasistar Thorne–Żytkow object Iron star Nucleosynthesis Alpha process Triple-alpha process Proton–proton chain Helium flash CNO cycle Lithium burning Carbon burning Neon burning Oxygen burning Silicon burning S-process R-process Fusor Nova Remnants Structure Core Convection zone Microturbulence Oscillations Radiation zone Photosphere Starspot Chromosphere Corona Stellar wind Bubble Asteroseismology Eddington luminosity Kelvin–Helmholtz mechanism Properties Designation Dynamics Effective temperature Kinematics Magnetic field Magnitude Absolute Mass Metallicity Rotation UBV color Variability Star systems Binary Contact Common envelope Multiple Accretion disc Planetary system Earth's Solar System Earth-centric observation of Pole star Circumpolar star Magnitude Apparent Photographic Color Radial velocity Proper motion Parallax Photometric-standard star Lists Star names Arabic names Chinese names Most massive Least massive Largest Brightest Historical Most luminous Nearest Nearest bright Stars with exoplanets Brown dwarfs Planetary nebulae Novae Notable supernovae Supernova remnants Supernova candidates Timeline of stellar astronomy Related articles Planet Star cluster Association Open cluster Globular cluster Galaxy Supercluster Helioseismology Guest star Constellation Asterism Gravity Intergalactic star Infrared dark cloud Star portal