Stars spend most of their lives locked in a delicate balancing act. Two forces, perfectly equal and opposite, constantly battle for control. One – gravity – pushes inwards, seeking to compress the star into an ever smaller volume. The other – a mixture of gas and radiation pressure – pushes outwards, fuelled by powerful nuclear reactions in the stellar core.
The Week in Space and Physics #1
The Week in Space and Physics #1
The Week in Space and Physics #1
Stars spend most of their lives locked in a delicate balancing act. Two forces, perfectly equal and opposite, constantly battle for control. One – gravity – pushes inwards, seeking to compress the star into an ever smaller volume. The other – a mixture of gas and radiation pressure – pushes outwards, fuelled by powerful nuclear reactions in the stellar core.