National Science Olympiad

Reach for the Stars B Event 2013

Stellar Evolution and the Electromagnetic Spectrum

DISCLAIMER
This presentation was prepared using draft rules. There may be some
changes in the final copy of the rules. The rules which will be in your
Coaches Manual and Student Manuals will be the official rules.

Chandra X-Ray Education & Public Outreach Office

Donna L Young, Lead Educator donna@aavso.org
Dustin Schroeder - dschroed@gmail.com

REACH FOR THE STARS, Division B

DESCRIPTION: Students will demonstrate an understanding of the properties and
evolution of stars and their observation with different portions of the electromagnetic
Spectrum: Radio, Infrared, Visible, Ultraviolet, X-Ray and Gamma Ray.
Part I: Constellation, Star, and Deep Sky Object (DSO) Identification
Part II:
i: Stellar Evolution
stellar nurseries, protostars, main sequence stars, red giants, planetary
nebulas, white dwarfs, red supergiants, Type Ia supernovas, Type II
supernovas, neutron stars/pulsars, and black holes
ii: Spectral Classification of Stars
spectra and the H-R diagram
iii: The Electromagnetic Spectrum
multiwavelength observations
iv: Stellar Temperatures, Radii, and Luminosities
the H-R diagram, blackbody radiation

Part I: Constellations, Stars, and DSOs

Aquila: Altair, CoRoT-2A, SS433

Aquarius: NGC 7293
Auriga: Capella
Bootes: Arcturus
Canis Major: Sirius
Canis Minor: Procyon
Carina: Eta Carinae
Centaurus: Proxima Centauri
Cassiopeia: Cas A, Tycho, NGC 281
Dorado: 30 Doradus
Cygnus: Deneb, Cygnus X-1,
NGC 7000
Gemini: Castor, Pollux, Geminga
Libra: Gliese 581

Hercules: M13
Leo: Regulus
Lyra: Vega, M57
Orion: Betelgeuse, Rigel, M42
Perseus: Algol
Sagittarius: Sag A*, M17, G359.23-0.82
Scorpius: Antares
Taurus: Aldebaran, HL Tau, M1, M45
Hyades
Ursa Minor: Polaris
Ursa Major: Mizar, Alcor, SN1993J
Vela: Velorum, Vela SNR
Virgo: Spica

Aquila: Altair, CoRoT-2A (star with planet), SS433 (X-Ray Binary)

Aquarius: NGC 7293 (The Helix Nebula)

Auriga: Capella

Bootes: Arcturus (Red Giant)

Canis Major: Sirius & Canis Minor: Procyon

(White Dwarf Companions)

Carina: Eta Carinae (Hypergiant)

Centaurus: Proxima Centauri (Red Dwarf Star)

Cassiopeia: Cas A (Type II Supernova) Tychos Star (Type Ia

Supernova), NGC 281 (Star Formation Region)

Dorado: 30 Doradus (Tarantula Nebula) Star Formation Region

Cygnus: Deneb, Cygnus X-1 (X-Ray Binary)

NGC 7000 (North American Nebula)

Gemini: Castor, Pollux, Geminga (Neutron Star)

Libra: Gliese 581 (Red Dwarf)

Hercules: M13 (Globular Cluster)

Leo: Regulus

Lyra: Vega, M57 (Ring Nebula Planetary Nebula & White Dwarf)

Orion: Orionis (Betelgeuse - Red Supergiant), Rigel

M42 (Orion Nebula Star Formation Region)

Perseus: Algol

Sagittarius: Sgr A*, M 17 (Omega or Swan Nebula Star

Formation Region), G357.23-0.82 (Pulsar)

Stars: Scorpii Antares (Red Supergiant)

Taurus: Aldebaran (Red Giant), HL Tau (Star & Planet),

Hyades (Open Cluster), M1 (Crab Nebula - SNR),
M45 (Pleiades Open Cluster)

Ursa Minor: Polaris

Ursa Major: Mizar, Alcor, SN1993J (Supernova in M81)

Vela: Velorum (multiple system Wolf Rayet Star), Vela SNR

Virgo: Spica

Part II i: Stellar Evolution

Part II ii: Spectral Classification of Stars

Sun G2

Arcturus K1

Procyon A1

Summary of the Classification of Stars

Spectral
Class

Temperature (oK)

Strength of Balmer lines

Other lines to look for

30,000 - 60,000

weak or not visible

Ionized He (4540)

10,000 - 30,000

moderate

7,500 - 10,000

strong

6,000 - 7,500

weak

Ionized Ca (3930, 3970) strong

compared to neutral H (4340)

5,000 - 6,000

weak

Ionized Ca (3930, 3970) strong

compared to neutral H (4340)

3,500 - 5,000

weak or not visible

Many lines, neutral Ca 4230

< 3,500

not visible

Many lines

The Hertzsprung-Russell (H-R) Diagram

Spectral Image

Spectral Plot

Spectral Image
& Spectral Plot

Spectral Image
& Spectral Plot

Hydrogen
Balmer
Lines
Spectral Image,
Spectral Plot &
Balmer
Lines

Hydrogen
Balmer
Lines

He, Ca, H
Lines

Part II iii: Observations across the Electromagnetic Spectrum

Cas A

Crab Nebula

Eta Carinae

Part II iv: Stellar Temperatures, radii, and Luminosities

L = 4R2T4

Blackbody Radiation and the Radiation Laws:

Plancks Law Wiens Law Stefan-Boltzmanns Law
max = 2.9 x 107 /T

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