{"id":503330,"date":"2025-05-15T19:14:33","date_gmt":"2025-05-15T17:14:33","guid":{"rendered":"https:\/\/osr.org\/?p=503330"},"modified":"2025-05-12T19:40:56","modified_gmt":"2025-05-12T17:40:56","slug":"what-do-star-colours-mean","status":"publish","type":"post","link":"https:\/\/osr.org\/en-uk\/blog\/astronomy-uk\/what-do-star-colours-mean\/","title":{"rendered":"What Do Star Colours Mean?"},"content":{"rendered":"

Have you ever looked up at the night sky and noticed that not all stars<\/a> shine with the exact same colour? Many appear white, or even a pale yellow, while others shimmer in shades of blue and red. But these colours aren\u2019t just beautiful to look at \u2013 they reveal fascinating secrets about a star\u2019s temperature, age, and even its life expectancy. Understanding different star colours is a fantastic gateway into understanding the universe itself, and in this guide, we\u2019ll explore exactly what the deal is with red, white, and blue stars!<\/span><\/p>\n

Why Are There Different Stars Colours?<\/span><\/h2>\n

\"A<\/p>\n

By and large, star colours come down to one core concept: temperature. Much like how heated metal glows red, orange, or white depending on how hot it is, stars emit light at different wavelengths depending on their surface temperature. Blue stars are the hottest, followed by white, yellow, orange, and then red stars, which are the coolest.<\/span><\/p>\n

There are a few other factors that could come into play, such as composition and size, but star temperature is generally the biggest driver. Astronomers categorise stars using spectral classification, a system that ranges from the hot, blue O-type stars to the cool, red M-type stars.<\/span><\/p>\n

Blue Stars: The Hottest and Youngest<\/span><\/h2>\n
\"A

CREDIT: Baperookamo<\/a>, CC BY-SA 4.0<\/a>, via Wikimedia Commons<\/p><\/figure> CREDIT: Baperookamo<\/a>, CC BY-SA 4.0<\/a>, via Wikimedia Commons<\/p><\/div>\n

Blue stars are the real powerhouses of the cosmos. With surface temperatures starting at 10,000 Kelvin and reaching as high as 50,000 Kelvin (a positively balmy 89,500 Fahrenheit!),\u00a0 these stars shine with a brilliant bluish hue – and burn their fuel incredibly fast. They tend to be young in cosmic terms, and don\u2019t live as long as cooler stars.<\/span><\/p>\n

Examples of blue stars include Rigel<\/a> in the constellation Orion<\/a> and Spica<\/a> in Virgo. These stars often end their lives in a spectacular supernova<\/a>, sometimes even leaving behind black holes<\/a> or neutron stars.<\/span><\/p>\n

While beautiful, blue stars are relatively rare. Because they burn through their hydrogen supply quickly, their lifespan can be as short as a few million years – practically a blink of an eye in astronomical terms!<\/span><\/p>\n

White Stars: Balanced and Bright<\/span><\/h2>\n
https:\/\/youtu.be\/PU5CgWsAPqM?si=M7RlqKuxaZDPGCK-<\/a>