STARS
ARRANGED BY SPECTRAL AND VARIABLE STAR CLASS
GREEK LETTER VERSION
The stars of the main page are arranged vertically by their
colors (from blue to red) and temperatures (from about 50,000
Kelvin to under 3000 Kelvin) according to their spectral classes. Go to the table to see how class,
temperature, and color relate to one another. The stars are then
arranged horizontally according to their luminosity classes, that is,
according to whether they are main sequence "dwarfs", giants, subgiants (which fall
between the dwarfs and giants), supergiants, or bright giants
(which fall between the giants and the supergiants). With one
known exception, class L is a mixture of
low mass dwarfs and brown
dwarfs, while T stars are all brown dwarfs. If the
components of a double or multiple star are significant and
highlighted in the star's story, each is listed
seperately. Carbon stars, class
C, for which carbon exceeds oxygen in abundance, and class S, for
which they are about equal, are listed at the end of the main
table.
Each star in the table is introduced by its MKK class, which consists of
its decimalized letter class (in which the broad classes are
subdivided 0 [zero] through 9 from warmest to coolest) followed
by a Roman numeral that gives the luminosity: I through V for
supergiant, bright giant, giant, subgiant, and dwarf. Ia
supergiants are more luminous than Ib supergiants; "0" ("zero") as
a luminosity class stands for "hypergiant," a star more luminous
than a supergiant. Hypergiants are included with Ia supergiants.
Stars with "p" for peculiar or "m" for "metallic line" cannot be
simply classified. Brown dwarfs are referred to as "BD," while
"pms" indicates a not-quite-stabilized "pre-main sequence"
star.
Separate tables at the end list white dwarfs, neutron stars, black holes, and various
kinds of variable stars.
You can find many of these stars on this classic HR diagram.
Note on the Distribution of the Stars
B and A dwarfs are very common among the bright stars of the
naked-eye sky, whereas O dwarfs are relatively rare. B and even
O supergiants show up, but A supergiants are rare indeed. As
temperature goes down from O to M (blue to red), the stars of the
table shift more to the right. K dwarfs are few, and
there are no M dwarfs at all that are not faint components of
double stars. The only naked-eye M stars are giants and
supergiants. This distribution is counter to the true numbers.
The most common kinds of stars are M dwarfs. They are just so
faint that none occupy the naked-eye sky. Though A and B dwarfs
are truly not all that common, they are bright and can be seen
far away, so there seem to be many of them. O stars are
exceedingly rare, but can be seen over great distances, their
apparent number all out of proportion to their true population.
The end result is that most naked eye stars are much more
luminous than the Sun.
White Dwarfs
Neutron Stars
Black Holes
The following tables list stars alphabetically (followed by Flamsteed numbers) within their
variable star classes: Cepheids, Miras, semi-regulars, irregulars,
Beta Cephei stars, Slowly Pulsating B Stars, Delta Scuti stars,
Gamma Doradus stars, flare stars, and eclipsing binaries.
Descriptions can be found both in The
Natures of the Stars and/or in the stories of the
individual stars. Miras, semi-regulars, and irregulars overlap to
some degree, and it is not always clear into which category a
specific star may fall. See their locations on the HR diagram.
Irregular Variables
Flare Stars
Copyright © James B. Kaler, all rights reserved.
These contents are the property of the author and may not be
reproduced in whole or in part without the author's consent
except in fair use for educational purposes. Opening photo of Chi
Persei by Mark Killion.
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