Question about the formation of a massive star

In summary: So, I guess my star is about 1/5th the mass of the sun.In summary, Betelgeuse is about 1/5th the mass of the sun and is about 1000000 times larger in size.
  • #1
ldc3
14
0
I have no problem with description of a small star's formation by gas and dust accretion.
The problem I have is with a massive star. When enough material has accumulated to start the fusion of the star, a stellar wind will start and will clear away the gas and dust nearby. A heavier star would produce a stronger stellar wind. Even with a high density nebula, I would think that there wouldn't be enough material accumulated before the fusion started pushing away the gas and dust.
So, how does a star of 1,000,000 solar masses form?
 
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  • #2
There are no stars of [itex]10^6[/itex] solar masses, and there probably never were. The maximum size star that's possible is probably in the several hundred solar mass range.
 
  • #3
Something around 200 solar masses is believed to be about as big as any star can get and is affected by metallicity of its progenitor material, meaning stars in the very early universe tended to be more massive because the progenitor material was metal poor.
 
  • #4
ldc3 said:
The problem I have is with a massive star. When enough material has accumulated to start the fusion of the star, a stellar wind will start and will clear away the gas and dust nearby.
That's basically the limiting factor to the maximum mass of stars. Its called the Eddington Limit.

Also see http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Eddington_luminosity
 
  • #5
OK so I overestimated the size of a massive star. It's just that when you see Betelgeuse pictured beside our sun (and it looks about 1000000 times larger, one assumes it has 1000000 times the mass as well.

"A radius of 5.5 AU is roughly 1,180 times the radius of the Sun—a sphere so huge that it could contain over 2 quadrillion Earths (2.15 × 10^15) or more than 1.6 billion (1.65 × 10^9) suns."
http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Betelgeuse
 
  • #6
Note that the same article says that Betegeuse has about 20x the mass of the sun.
 
  • #7
Idc3, now you got it right. The same Wikipedia article says "In volume, Betelgeuse exceeds the Sun by a factor of about 1.6 billion. Yet the actual mass of the star is believed to be no more than 18 to 19 Suns".
 

What is a massive star?

A massive star is a star with a mass greater than about 8 times that of the Sun. These stars are much larger and hotter than our Sun, and they have a much shorter lifespan.

How do massive stars form?

Massive stars form from the collapse of a large cloud of gas and dust in space. As the cloud collapses, the material at the center becomes denser and hotter, eventually forming a protostar. This protostar continues to grow and accumulate more material until it reaches a high enough mass to sustain nuclear fusion reactions in its core, becoming a massive star.

What is the difference between the formation of a massive star and a smaller star?

The main difference between the formation of a massive star and a smaller star is the amount of material involved. A massive star forms from a much larger cloud of gas and dust, and it has a much higher mass and temperature compared to a smaller star. This results in a shorter formation time and a more intense fusion reaction in the core.

How long does it take for a massive star to form?

The formation of a massive star can take anywhere from a few hundred thousand to a few million years, depending on the size of the cloud and the rate of material accumulation. Once it reaches a high enough mass, the star will start fusing hydrogen in its core and will continue to do so for a few million years before evolving into a red supergiant.

What is the lifespan of a massive star?

The lifespan of a massive star is much shorter than that of a smaller star. While our Sun is expected to live for about 10 billion years, a massive star may only live for a few million years. This is because the intense fusion reactions in the core use up the star's fuel at a much faster rate, leading to a shorter lifespan. Eventually, the star will run out of fuel and explode in a spectacular supernova.

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