What is the nearest star to Earth?
The nearest star to Earth is the Sun. It is one of an estimated two trillion stars scattered across the observable universe.
Common questions about Star
Short answers, pulled from the story.
When was the oldest accurately dated star chart created?
The oldest accurately dated star chart was created in 1534 BC by ancient Egyptian astronomers. This record marks the beginning of documented stellar observation history.
Who made the first direct measurement of the distance to a star?
Friedrich Bessel made the first direct measurement of the distance to a star in 1838. He used the parallax technique to measure the distance to 61 Cygni.
How long will the Sun live before it becomes a red giant?
The Sun is expected to live 10 billion years. In about 5 billion years, it will enter the helium burning phase and expand to a maximum radius of roughly 1 AU.
What happens when a massive star exceeds 9 solar masses?
Massive stars exceeding 9 solar masses expand to form blue supergiants and then red supergiants. They eventually end their lives when their cores collapse and they explode as supernovae.
When did Chinese astronomers first observe a supernova?
Chinese astronomers were the first to observe and write about a supernova in 185 AD. This event is now known as SN 185 and challenged the ancient belief that the heavens were immutable.