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Overview
In this section you will find materials that support the implementation of EarthComm, Section 9: The Lives of Stars.
Learning Outcomes
- Plan and carry out an investigation to explore the relationship between the brightness of an object (its luminosity) and its magnitude.
- Analyze and interpret data relating to the properties of stars.
- Obtain information about stellar structure and stellar evolution (the life cycle of stars).
Inquiring Further
- To learn more about the evolution of the Milky Way galaxy, visit the following web sites:
How did galaxies form?, Origins Education Forum
This discussion includes the formation of galaxies in general as well as the Milky Way.
The Milky Way - Our Galaxy, University of California, San Diego Center for Astrophysics & Space Sciences
This brief article on the origin of our galaxy also includes several images.
- To learn more about starburst knots in other galaxies, visit the following web sites:
The Birth of Stars, Cornell University
Page has information on how a star is born.
Witness the Birth of a Star, NASA
Image of star birth.
Stellar Nurseries, NASA
"A new star is born every year in our galaxy." Learn more about the origin of stars and galaxies. This page also features several Hubble images.
Hubble Sees Starbursts in Virgo, NASA
Learn where stars are forming at such a breakneck rate that the galaxy is eating up its gas supply faster than it can be replenished!
Resources
To learn more about this topic, visit the following web sites:
Classifying Stars
Classifying Stars, NASA
Reviews the various variables that help classify stellar objects.
The Lives of Stars
Star Life Cycles
Read another description of the life cycle of stars.
New Hubble Image Shows Life Cycle of Stars, CNN
This short article reports on an advancement in understanding star life cycles.
A Star's Life, HubbleSite
Catch a glimpse of the fascinating life cycle of stars. This movie requires a plug-in to be viewed.
Animations and Video
To view animations and video related to this topic, visit the following web sites:
Launchpad: Life Cycle of a Star, NASA
Take a closer look at the life cycles of stars and learn where stars come from, how they change, and what happens to stars when their lives come to an end.