Stellar birth

Key words
accretion disc nuclear fusion
T-Tauri star core polar jet
Hertzsprung- protostar
Russell diagram star
main sequence T-Tauri star
mature star

T-Tauri star
● If temperatures become high enough
for the nuclear fusion of hydrogen
nuclei to occur, a protostar becomes a
T-Tauri star.
● T-Tauri stars are situated just above the
main sequence on a Hertzsprung-
Russell diagram.
● Their fusion processes are restricted to
a small central core.
● The star is still contracting
gravitationally and some material is
still falling onto its surface from an
Polar jets
accretion disc.
● Strong winds push some material away
and the star may emit polar jets of
energetic radiation.
● Equilibrium has not been achieved.

Mature star
● Eventually, the outward pressure
generated by nuclear fusion balances
the inward pressure of gravitation and
the star achieves a stable diameter.
● Equilibrium is achieved and the star is
situated on the main sequence of an
H-R diagram.

Life span
● The stable phase of a star’s life is
usually its longest.
● This is because the nuclear fusion of
hydrogen into helium is the most
Mature star and efficient of the nuclear burning stages.
disc of leftover material ● The length of time that a star remains
in the main sequence is closely related
to its mass.
● More massive stars have shorter spans
of stable maturity than less massive
stars.
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