The Astrology of Space - Matrix Software

The Astrology of Space
A Red Giant
The radiant pressure of burning Hydrogen within was
all that held back the initial contraction of the
protostar, and when this is gone, the star's core
continues to contract. It then has no material strong
enough to stop this contraction and the core again
shrinks, causing increased pressure, density and
temperature. When the temperature at the center of
the star reaches l00 million degrees, the nuclei of
helium atoms (products of the Hydrogen burning
stage) are violently fused together to form carbon.
The fusion of this helium burning at the stellar core
again produces a furious outpouring of radiant
energy, and this energy release inside the star's core
(as the star contracts) pushes the surface far out into
space in all directions. The sudden expansion creates
an enormous star with a diameter of a quarter of a
billion miles and a low surface temperature between
3,000-4,000 degrees – a red giant.
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