Inastronomy,stellar classification is the classification ofstars based on theirspectral characteristics.Electromagnetic radiation from the star is analyzed by splitting it with aprism ordiffraction grating into aspectrum exhibiting therainbow of colors interspersed withspectral lines. Each line indicates a particularchemical element ormolecule, with the line strength indicating the abundance of that element. The strengths of the different spectral lines vary mainly due to the temperature of thephotosphere, although in some cases there are true abundance differences. Thespectral class of a star is a short code primarily summarizing theionization state, giving an objective measure of the photosphere's temperature.
Most stars are currently classified under the Morgan–Keenan (MK) system using the lettersO,B,A,F,G,K, andM, a sequence from the hottest (O type) to the coolest (M type). Each letter class is then subdivided using a numeric digit with0 being hottest and9 being coolest (e.g., A8, A9, F0, and F1 form a sequence from hotter to cooler). The sequence has been expanded with three classes for other stars that do not fit in the classical system:W,S andC. Somestellar remnants or objects of deviating mass have also been assigned letters:D forwhite dwarfs andL,T andY forbrown dwarfs (andexoplanets).
In the MK system, aluminosity class is added to the spectral class usingRoman numerals. This is based on the width of certain absorption lines in the star's spectrum, which vary with the density of the atmosphere and so distinguish giant stars from dwarfs. Luminosity class 0 orIa+ is used forhypergiants, class I forsupergiants, class II for brightgiants, class III for regulargiants, class IV forsubgiants, class V formain-sequence stars, class sd (orVI) forsubdwarfs, and class D (orVII) forwhite dwarfs. The full spectral class for theSun is then G2V, indicating a main-sequence star with a surface temperature around 5,800 K.
The conventional colour description takes into account only the peak of the stellar spectrum. In actuality, however, stars radiate in all parts of the spectrum. Because all spectral colours combined appear white, the actual apparent colours the human eye would observe are far lighter than the conventional colour descriptions would suggest. This characteristic of 'lightness' indicates that the simplified assignment of colours within the spectrum can be misleading. Excluding colour-contrast effects in dim light, in typical viewing conditions there are no green, cyan, indigo, or violet stars."Yellow" dwarfs such as theSun are white,"red" dwarfs are a deep shade of yellow/orange, and"brown" dwarfs do not literally appear brown, but hypothetically would appear dim red or grey/black to a nearby observer.
The modern classification system is known as theMorgan–Keenan (MK) classification. Each star is assigned a spectral class (from the older Harvard spectral classification, which did not include luminosity[1]) and a luminosity class using Roman numerals as explained below, forming the star's spectral type.
Other modernstellar classification systems, such as theUBV system, are based oncolor indices—the measured differences in three or morecolor magnitudes.[2] Those numbers are given labels such as "U−V" or "B−V", which represent the colors passed by two standard filters (e.g.Ultraviolet,Blue andVisual).
TheHarvard system is a one-dimensional classification scheme by astronomerAnnie Jump Cannon, who re-ordered and simplified the prior alphabetical system by Draper (seeHistory). Stars are grouped according to their spectral characteristics by single letters of the alphabet, optionally with numeric subdivisions. Main-sequence stars vary in surface temperature from approximately 2,000 to 50,000 K, whereas more-evolved stars – in particular, newly-formed white dwarfs – can have surface temperatures above 100,000 K.[3] Physically, the classes indicate the temperature of the star's atmosphere and are normally listed from hottest to coldest.
| Class | Effective temperature[4][5] | Vega-relativechromaticity[6][7][a] | Chromaticity (D65)[8][9][6][b] | Main-sequence mass[4][10] (solar masses) | Main-sequence radius[4][10] (solar radii) | Main-sequence luminosity[4][10] (bolometric) | Hydrogen lines | Percentage of all main-sequence stars[c][11] |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| O | ≥ 33,000 K | blue | blue | ≥ 16 M☉ | ≥ 6.6 R☉ | ≥ 30,000 L☉ | Weak | 0.00003% |
| B | 10,000–33,000 K | bluish white | deep bluish white | 2.1–16 M☉ | 1.8–6.6 R☉ | 25–30,000 L☉ | Medium | 0.12% |
| A | 7,300–10,000 K | white | bluish white | 1.4–2.1 M☉ | 1.4–1.8 R☉ | 5–25 L☉ | Strong | 0.61% |
| F | 6,000–7,300 K | yellowish white | white | 1.04–1.4 M☉ | 1.15–1.4 R☉ | 1.5–5 L☉ | Medium | 3.0% |
| G | 5,300–6,000 K | yellow | yellowish white | 0.8–1.04 M☉ | 0.96–1.15 R☉ | 0.6–1.5 L☉ | Weak | 7.6% |
| K | 3,900–5,300 K | light orange | pale yellowish orange | 0.45–0.8 M☉ | 0.7–0.96 R☉ | 0.08–0.6 L☉ | Very weak | 12% |
| M | 2,300–3,900 K | Light orangish red | orangish red | 0.08–0.45 M☉ | ≤ 0.7 R☉ | ≤ 0.08 L☉ | Very weak | 76% |
A commonmnemonic for remembering the order of the spectral type letters, from hottest to coolest, is "Oh,BeAFineGuy/Girl:KissMe!", or another one is "OurBrightAstronomersFrequentlyGenerateKillerMnemonics!".[12]
The spectral classes O through M, as well as other more specialized classes discussed later, are subdivided byArabic numerals (0–9), where 0 denotes the hottest stars of a given class. For example, A0 denotes the hottest stars in class A and A9 denotes the coolest ones. Fractional numbers are allowed; for example, the starMu Normae is classified as O9.7.[13] TheSun is classified as G2.[14]
The fact that the Harvard classification of a star indicated its surface orphotospherictemperature (or more precisely, itseffective temperature) was not fully understood until after its development, though by the time the firstHertzsprung–Russell diagram was formulated (by 1914), this was generally suspected to be true.[15] In the 1920s, the Indian physicistMeghnad Saha derived a theory of ionization by extending well-known ideas in physical chemistry pertaining to the dissociation of molecules to the ionization of atoms. First he applied it to the solar chromosphere, then to stellar spectra.[16]
Harvard astronomerCecilia Payne then demonstrated that theO-B-A-F-G-K-M spectral sequence is actually a sequence in temperature.[17] Because the classification sequence predates our understanding that it is a temperature sequence, the placement of a spectrum into a given subtype, such as B3 or A7, depends upon (largely subjective) estimates of the strengths of absorption features in stellar spectra. As a result, these subtypes are not evenly divided into any sort of mathematically representable intervals.
TheYerkes spectral classification, also called theMK, or Morgan-Keenan (alternatively referred to as the MKK, or Morgan-Keenan-Kellman)[18][19] system from the authors' initials, is a system of stellar spectral classification introduced in 1943 byWilliam Wilson Morgan,Philip C. Keenan, andEdith Kellman fromYerkes Observatory.[20] This two-dimensional (temperature andluminosity) classification scheme is based onspectral lines sensitive to stellar temperature andsurface gravity, which is related to luminosity (whilst theHarvard classification is based on just surface temperature). Later, in 1953, after some revisions to the list of standard stars and classification criteria, the scheme was named theMorgan–Keenan classification, orMK,[21] which remains in use today.
Denser stars with higher surface gravity exhibit greaterpressure broadening of spectral lines. The gravity, and hence the pressure, on the surface of agiant star is much lower than for adwarf star because the radius of the giant is much greater than a dwarf of similar mass. Therefore, differences in the spectrum can be interpreted asluminosity effects and a luminosity class can be assigned purely from examination of the spectrum.
A number of differentluminosity classes are distinguished, as listed in the table below.[22]
| Luminosity class | Description | Examples |
|---|---|---|
| 0or Ia+ | hypergiants or extremely luminous supergiants | Cygnus OB2#12 – B3-4Ia+[23] |
| Ia | luminoussupergiants | Eta Canis Majoris – B5Ia[24] |
| Iab | intermediate-size luminoussupergiants | Gamma Cygni – F8Iab[25] |
| Ib | less luminoussupergiants | Zeta Persei – B1Ib[26] |
| II | bright giants | Beta Leporis – G5II[27] |
| III | normalgiants | Arcturus – K0III[28] |
| IV | subgiants | Gamma Cassiopeiae – B0.5IVpe[29] |
| V | main-sequence stars (dwarfs) | Achernar – B6Vep[26] |
| sd (prefix)or VI | subdwarfs | HD 149382 – sdB5or B5VI[30] |
| D (prefix)or VII | white dwarfs[d] | van Maanen 2 – DZ8[31] |
Marginal cases are allowed; for example, a star may be either a supergiant or a bright giant, or may be in between the subgiant and main-sequence classifications.In these cases, two special symbols are used:
For example, a star classified as A3-4III/IV would be in between spectral types A3 and A4, while being either a giant star or a subgiant.
Sub-dwarf classes have also been used: VI for sub-dwarfs (stars slightly less luminous than the main sequence).
Nominal luminosity class VII (and sometimes higher numerals) is now rarely used for white dwarf or "hot sub-dwarf" classes, since the temperature-letters of the main sequence and giant stars no longer apply to white dwarfs.
Occasionally, lettersa andb are applied to luminosity classes other than supergiants; for example, a giant star slightly less luminous than typical may be given a luminosity class of IIIb, while a luminosity class IIIa indicates a star slightly brighter than a typical giant.[32]
A sample of extreme V stars with strong absorption in He II λ4686 spectral lines have been given theVz designation. An example star isHD 93129 B.[33]
Additional nomenclature, in the form of lower-case letters, can follow the spectral type to indicate peculiar features of the spectrum.[34]
| Code | Spectral peculiarities for stars |
|---|---|
| : | uncertain spectral value[22] |
| ... | Undescribed spectral peculiarities exist |
| ! | Special peculiarity |
| comp | Composite spectrum[35] |
| e | Emission lines present[35] |
| [e] | "Forbidden" emission lines present |
| er | "Reversed" center of emission lines weaker than edges |
| eq | Emission lines withP Cygni profile |
| f | N III and He II emission[22] |
| f* | N IV 4058Å is stronger than theN III 4634Å, 4640Å, & 4642Å lines[36] |
| f+ | Si IV 4089Å & 4116Å are emitted, in addition to the N III line[36] |
| f? | C III 4647–4650–4652Å emission lines with comparable strength to the N III line[37] |
| (f) | N III emission, absence or weak absorption of He II |
| (f+) | [38] |
| ((f)) | Displays strong He II absorption accompanied by weak N III emissions[39] |
| ((f*)) | [38] |
| h | WR stars with hydrogen emission lines.[40] |
| ha | WR stars with hydrogen seen in both absorption and emission.[40] |
| He wk | Weak Helium lines |
| k | Spectra with interstellar absorption features |
| m | Enhanced metal features[35] |
| n | Broad ("nebulous") absorption due to spinning[35] |
| nn | Very broad absorption features[22] |
| neb | A nebula's spectrum mixed in[35] |
| p | Unspecified peculiarity,peculiar star.[e][35] |
| pq | Peculiar spectrum, similar to the spectra of novae |
| q | P Cygni profiles |
| s | Narrow ("sharp") absorption lines[35] |
| ss | Very narrow lines |
| sh | Shell star features[35] |
| var | Variable spectral feature[35] (sometimes abbreviated to "v") |
| wl | Weak lines[35] (also "w" & "wk") |
| Element symbol | Abnormally strong spectral lines of the specified element(s)[35] |
| z | indicating an abnormally strong ionised helium line at468.6 nm[33] |
For example,59 Cygni is listed as spectral type B1.5Vnne,[41] indicating a spectrum with the general classification B1.5V, as well as very broad absorption lines and certain emission lines.
The reason for the odd arrangement of letters in the Harvard classification is historical, having evolved from the earlier Secchi classes and been progressively modified as understanding improved.
During the 1860s and 1870s, pioneering stellar spectroscopistAngelo Secchi created theSecchi classes in order to classify observed spectra. By 1866, he had developed three classes of stellar spectra, shown in the table below.[42][43][44]
In the late 1890s, this classification began to be superseded by the Harvard classification, which is discussed in the remainder of this article.[45][46][47]
| Class number | Secchi class description |
|---|---|
| Secchi class I | White and blue stars with broad heavyhydrogen lines, such asVega andAltair. This includes the modern class A and early class F. |
| Secchi class I (Orion subtype) | A subtype of Secchi class I with narrow lines in place of wide bands, such asRigel andBellatrix. In modern terms, this corresponds to early B-type stars |
| Secchi class II | Yellow stars – hydrogen less strong, but evident metallic lines, such as theSun,Arcturus, andCapella. This includes the modern classes G and K as well as late class F. |
| Secchi class III | Orange to red stars with complex band spectra, such asBetelgeuse andAntares. This corresponds to the modern class M. |
| Secchi class IV | In 1868, he discoveredcarbon stars, which he put into a distinct group:[48] Red stars with significantcarbon bands and lines, corresponding to modern classes C and S. |
| Secchi class V | In 1877, he added a fifth class:[49] Emission-line stars, such asGamma Cassiopeiae andSheliak, which are in modern class Be. In 1891, Edward Charles Pickering proposed that class V should correspond to the modern class O (which then includedWolf–Rayet stars) and stars within planetary nebulae.[50] |
TheRoman numerals used for Secchi classes should not be confused with the completely unrelated Roman numerals used for Yerkes luminosity classes and the proposed neutron star classes.
| Secchi | Draper | Comment |
|---|---|---|
| I | A,B, C, D | Hydrogen lines dominant |
| II | E,F,G, H, I,K, L | |
| III | M | |
| IV | N | Did not appear in the catalogue |
| V | O | IncludedWolf–Rayet spectra with bright lines, sometimes classified separately as type W[53] |
| V | P | Planetary nebulae |
| Q | Other spectra | |
| Classes carried through into the MK system are inbold. | ||
In the 1880s, the astronomerEdward C. Pickering began to make a survey of stellar spectra at theHarvard College Observatory, using the objective-prism method. A first result of this work was theDraper Catalogue of Stellar Spectra, published in 1890.Williamina Fleming classified most of the spectra in this catalogue and was credited with classifying over 10,000 featured stars and discovering 10 novae and more than 200 variable stars.[54] With the help of theHarvard computers, especiallyWilliamina Fleming, the first iteration of the Henry Draper catalogue was devised to replace the Roman-numeral scheme established by Angelo Secchi.[55]
The catalogue used a scheme in which the previously used Secchi classes (I to V) were subdivided into more specific classes, given letters from A to P. Also, the letter Q was used for stars not fitting into any other class.[51][52] Fleming worked with Pickering to differentiate 17 different classes based on the intensity of hydrogen spectral lines, which causes variation in the wavelengths emanated from stars and results in variation in color appearance. The spectra in class A tended to produce the strongest hydrogen absorption lines while spectra in class O produced virtually no visible lines. The lettering system displayed the gradual decrease in hydrogen absorption in the spectral classes when moving down the alphabet. This classification system was later modified by Annie Jump Cannon and Antonia Maury to produce the Harvard spectral classification scheme.[54][56]
In 1897, another astronomer at Harvard,Antonia Maury, placed the Orion subtype of Secchi class I ahead of the remainder of Secchi class I, thus placing the modern type B ahead of the modern type A. She was the first to do so, although she did not use lettered spectral types, but rather a series of twenty-two types numbered from I–XXII.[57][58]
| Groups | Summary |
|---|---|
| I−V | included 'Orion type' stars that displayed an increasing strength in hydrogen absorption lines from group I to group V |
| VI | acted as an intermediate between the 'Orion type' and Secchi type I group |
| VII−XI | were Secchi's type 1 stars, with decreasing strength in hydrogen absorption lines from groups VII−XI |
| XIII−XVI | included Secchi type 2 stars with decreasing hydrogen absorption lines and increasing solar-type metallic lines |
| XVII−XX | included Secchi type 3 stars with increasing spectral lines |
| XXI | included Secchi type 4 stars |
| XXII | included Wolf–Rayet stars |
Because the 22 Roman numeral groupings did not account for additional variations in spectra, three additional divisions were made to further specify differences: Lowercase letters were added to differentiate relative line appearance in spectra; the lines were defined as:[59]
Antonia Maury published her own stellar classification catalogue in 1897 called "Spectra of Bright Stars Photographed with the 11 inch Draper Telescope as Part of the Henry Draper Memorial", which included 4,800 photographs and Maury's analyses of 681 bright northern stars. This was the first instance in which a woman was credited for an observatory publication.[60]
In 1901,Annie Jump Cannon returned to the lettered types, but dropped all letters except O, B, A, F, G, K, M, and N used in that order, as well as P for planetary nebulae and Q for some peculiar spectra. She also used types such as B5A for stars halfway between types B and A, F2G for stars one fifth of the way from F to G, and so on.[61][62]
Finally, by 1912, Cannon had changed the types B, A, B5A, F2G, etc. to B0, A0, B5, F2, etc.[63][64] This is essentially the modern form of the Harvard classification system. This system was developed through the analysis of spectra on photographic plates, which could convert light emanated from stars into a readable spectrum.[65]
A luminosity classification known as the Mount Wilson system was used to distinguish between stars of different luminosities.[66][67][68] This notation system is still sometimes seen on modern spectra.[69]
The stellar classification system istaxonomic, based ontype specimens, similar to classification of species inbiology: The categories are defined by one or more standard stars for each category and sub-category, with an associated description of the distinguishing features.[70]
Stars are often referred to asearly orlate types. "Early" is a synonym forhotter, while "late" is a synonym forcooler.
Depending on the context, "early" and "late" may be absolute or relative terms. "Early" as an absolute term would therefore refer to O or B, and possibly A stars. As a relative reference it relates to stars hotter than others, such as "early K" being perhaps K0, K1, K2 and K3.
"Late" is used in the same way, with an unqualified use of the term indicating stars with spectral types such as K and M, but it can also be used for stars that are cool relative to other stars, as in using "late G" to refer to G7, G8, and G9.
In the relative sense, "early" means a lower Arabic numeral following the class letter, and "late" means a higher number.
This obscure terminology is a hold-over from a late nineteenth century model ofstellar evolution, which supposed that stars were powered by gravitational contraction via theKelvin–Helmholtz mechanism, which is now known to not apply tomain-sequence stars. If that were true, then stars would start their lives as very hot "early-type" stars and then gradually cool down into "late-type" stars. This mechanism provided ages of theSun that were much smaller than what is observed in thegeologic record, and was rendered obsolete by the discovery that stars are powered bynuclear fusion.[71] The terms "early" and "late" were carried over, beyond the demise of the model they were based on.
O-type stars are very hot and extremely luminous, with most of their radiated output in theultraviolet range. These are the rarest of all main-sequence stars. About 1 in 3,000,000 (0.00003%) of the main-sequence stars in thesolar neighborhood are O-type stars.[c][11] Some of themost massive stars lie within this spectral class. O-type stars frequently have complicated surroundings that make measurement of their spectra difficult.
O-type spectra formerly were defined by the ratio of the strength of theHe II λ4541 relative to that of He I λ4471, where λ is the radiationwavelength. Spectral type O7 was defined to be the point at which the two intensities are equal, with the He I line weakening towards earlier types. Type O3 was, by definition, the point at which said line disappears altogether, although it can be seen very faintly with modern technology. Due to this, the modern definition uses the ratio of thenitrogen line N IV λ4058 to N III λλ4634-40-42.[72]
O-type stars have dominant lines of absorption and sometimes emission forHe II lines, prominent ionized (Si IV,O III,N III, andC III) and neutralhelium lines, strengthening from O5 to O9, and prominent hydrogenBalmer lines, although not as strong as in later types. Higher-mass O-type stars do not retain extensive atmospheres due to the extreme velocity of theirstellar wind, which may reach 2,000 km/s. Because they are so massive, O-type stars have very hot cores and burn through their hydrogen fuel very quickly, so they are the first stars to leave themain sequence.
When the MKK classification scheme was first described in 1943, the only subtypes of class O used were O5 to O9.5.[73] The MKK scheme was extended to O9.7 in 1971[74] and O4 in 1978,[75] and new classification schemes that add types O2, O3, and O3.5 have subsequently been introduced.[76]
Spectral standards:[70]
B-type stars are very luminous and blue. Their spectra have neutral helium lines, which are most prominent at the B2 subclass, and moderate hydrogen lines. AsO- and B-type stars are so energetic, they only live for a relatively short time. Thus, due to the low probability of kinematic interaction during their lifetime, they are unable to stray far from the area in which they formed, apart fromrunaway stars.
The transition from class O to class B was originally defined to be the point at which theHe II λ4541 disappears. However, with modern equipment, the line is still apparent in the early B-type stars. Today for main-sequence stars, the B class is instead defined by the intensity of the He I violet spectrum, with the maximum intensity corresponding to class B2. For supergiants, lines ofsilicon are used instead; the Si IV λ4089 and Si III λ4552 lines are indicative of early B. At mid-B, the intensity of the latter relative to that of Si II λλ4128-30 is the defining characteristic, while for late B, it is the intensity of Mg II λ4481 relative to that of He I λ4471.[72]
These stars tend to be found in their originatingOB associations, which are associated with giantmolecular clouds. The Orion OB1 association occupies a large portion of aspiral arm of theMilky Way and contains many of the brighter stars of theconstellation Orion. About 1 in 800 (0.125%) of the main-sequence stars in the solar neighborhood areB-type main-sequence stars.[c][11] B-type stars are relatively uncommon and the closest is Regulus, at around 80 light years.[77]
Massive yet non-supergiant stars known asBe stars have been observed to show one or moreBalmer lines in emission, with thehydrogen-relatedelectromagnetic radiationseries projected out by the stars being of particular interest. Be stars are generally thought to feature unusually strongstellar winds, high surface temperatures, and significant attrition ofstellar mass as the objectsrotate at a curiously rapid rate.[78]
Objects known asB[e] stars – or B(e) stars for typographic reasons – possess distinctive neutral or low ionisationemission lines that are considered to haveforbidden mechanisms, undergoing processes not normally allowed under current understandings ofquantum mechanics.
Spectral standards:[70]
A-type stars are among the more common naked eye stars, and are white or bluish-white. They have strong hydrogen lines, at a maximum by A0, and also lines of ionized metals (Fe II,Mg II,Si II) at a maximum at A5. The presence ofCa II lines is notably strengthening by this point. About 1 in 160 (0.625%) of the main-sequence stars in the solar neighborhood are A-type stars,[c][11] which includes 9 stars within 15 parsecs.[79]
Spectral standards:[70]
F-type stars have strengthening spectral linesH andK ofCa II. Neutral metals (Fe I,Cr I) beginning to gain on ionized metal lines by late F. Their spectra are characterized by the weaker hydrogen lines and ionized metals. Their color is white. About 1 in 33 (3.03%) of the main-sequence stars in the solar neighborhood are F-type stars,[c][11] including 1 starProcyon A within 20 ly.[80]
Spectral standards:[70][81][82][83][84]
G-type stars, including theSun,[14] have prominent spectral linesH andK ofCa II, which are most pronounced at G2. They have even weaker hydrogen lines than F, but along with the ionized metals, they have neutral metals. There is a prominent spike in the G band ofCN molecules. Class G main-sequence stars make up about 7.5%, nearly one in thirteen, of the main-sequence stars in the solar neighborhood. There are 21 G-type stars within 10pc.[c][11]
Class G contains the "Yellow Evolutionary Void".[85] Supergiant stars often swing between O or B (blue) and K or M (red). While they do this, they do not stay for long in the unstableyellow supergiant class.
Spectral standards:[70]
K-type stars are orangish stars that are slightly cooler than the Sun. They make up about 12% of the main-sequence stars in the solar neighborhood.[c][11] There are also giant K-type stars, which range fromhypergiants likeRW Cephei, togiants andsupergiants, such asArcturus, whereasorange dwarfs, likeAlpha Centauri B, are main-sequence stars.
They have extremely weak hydrogen lines, if those are present at all, and mostly neutral metals (Mn I,Fe I,Si I). By late K, molecular bands oftitanium oxide become present. Mainstream theories (those rooted in lower harmful radioactivity and star longevity) would thus suggest such stars have the optimal chances of heavily evolved life developing on orbiting planets (if such life is directly analogous to Earth's) due to a broad habitable zone yet much lower harmful periods of emission compared to those with the broadest such zones.[86][87]
Spectral standards:[70]
Class M stars are by far the most common. About 76% of the main-sequence stars in the solar neighborhood are class M stars.[c][f][11] However, class M main-sequence stars (red dwarfs) have such low luminosities that none are bright enough to be seen with the unaided eye, unless under exceptional conditions. The brightest-known M class main-sequence star isLacaille 8760, class M0V, withmagnitude 6.7 (the limiting magnitude for typical naked-eye visibility under good conditions being typically quoted as 6.5), and it is extremely unlikely that any brighter examples will be found.
Although most class M stars are red dwarfs, most of the largest-known supergiant stars in the Milky Way are class M stars, such asVY Canis Majoris,VV Cephei,Antares, andBetelgeuse. Furthermore, some larger, hotterbrown dwarfs are late class M, usually in the range of M6.5 to M9.5.
The spectrum of a class M star contains lines fromoxidemolecules (in thevisible spectrum, especiallyTiO) and all neutral metals, but absorption lines of hydrogen are usually absent. TiO bands can be strong in class M stars, usually dominating their visible spectrum by about M5.Vanadium(II) oxide bands become present by late M.
Spectral standards:[70]
A number of new spectral types have been taken into use from newly discovered types of stars.[88]
Spectra of some very hot and bluish stars exhibit marked emission lines from carbon or nitrogen, or sometimes oxygen.
Once included as type O stars, theWolf–Rayet stars of class W[90] or WR are notable for spectra lacking hydrogen lines. Instead their spectra are dominated by broad emission lines of highly ionized helium, nitrogen, carbon, and sometimes oxygen. They are thought to mostly be dying supergiants with their hydrogen layers blown away bystellar winds, thereby directly exposing their hot helium shells. Class WR is further divided into subclasses according to the relative strength of nitrogen and carbon emission lines in their spectra (and outer layers).[40]
WR spectra range is listed below:[91][92]
Although the central stars of most planetary nebulae (CSPNe) show O-type spectra,[93] around 10% are hydrogen-deficient and show WR spectra.[94] These are low-mass stars and to distinguish them from the massive Wolf–Rayet stars, their spectra are enclosed in square brackets: e.g. [WC]. Most of these show [WC] spectra, some [WO], and very rarely [WN].
Theslash stars are O-type stars with WN-like lines in their spectra. The name "slash" comes from their printed spectral type having a slash in it (e.g. "Of/WNL")[72]).
There is a secondary group found with these spectra, a cooler, "intermediate" group designated "Ofpe/WN9".[72] These stars have also been referred to as WN10 or WN11, but that has become less popular with the realisation of the evolutionary difference from other Wolf–Rayet stars. Recent discoveries of even rarer stars have extended the range of slash stars as far as O2-3.5If*/WN5-7, which are even hotter than the original "slash" stars.[95]
They are O stars with strong magnetic fields. Designation is Of?p.[72]
The new spectral types L, T, and Y were created to classify infrared spectra of cool stars. This includes bothred dwarfs andbrown dwarfs that are very faint in thevisible spectrum.[96]
Brown dwarfs, stars that do not undergohydrogen fusion, cool as they age and so progress to later spectral types. Brown dwarfs start their lives with M-type spectra and will cool through the L, T, and Y spectral classes, faster the less massive they are; the highest-mass brown dwarfs cannot have cooled to Y or even T dwarfs within the age of the universe. Because this leads to an unresolvable overlap between spectral types'effective temperature andluminosity for some masses and ages of different L-T-Y types, no distincttemperature orluminosity values can be given.[10]
Class L dwarfs get their designation because they are cooler than M stars and L is the remaining letter alphabetically closest to M. Some of these objects have masses large enough to support hydrogen fusion and are therefore stars, but most are ofsubstellar mass and are therefore brown dwarfs. They are a very dark red in color and brightest ininfrared. Theiratmosphere is cool enough to allowmetal hydrides andalkali metals to be prominent in their spectra.[97][98][99]
Due to low surface gravity in giant stars,TiO- andVO-bearing condensates never form. Thus, L-type stars larger than dwarfs can never form in an isolated environment. However, it may be possible for theseL-type supergiants to form through stellar collisions, an example of which isV838 Monocerotis while in the height of itsluminous red nova eruption.
Class T dwarfs are coolbrown dwarfs with surface temperatures between approximately 550 and 1,300 K (277 and 1,027 °C; 530 and 1,880 °F). Their emission peaks in theinfrared.Methane is prominent in their spectra.[97][98]
Study of the number ofproplyds (protoplanetary disks, clumps of gas innebulae from which stars and planetary systems are formed) indicates that the number of stars in thegalaxy should be severalorders of magnitude higher than what was previously conjectured. It is theorized that these proplyds are in a race with each other. The first one to form will become aprotostar, which are very violent objects and will disrupt other proplyds in the vicinity, stripping them of their gas. The victim proplyds will then probably go on to become main-sequence stars or brown dwarfs of the L and T classes, which are quite invisible to us.[100]
Brown dwarfs of spectral class Y are cooler than those of spectral class T and have qualitatively different spectra from them. A total of 17 objects have been placed in class Y as of August 2013.[101] Although such dwarfs have been modelled[102] and detected within forty light-years by theWide-field Infrared Survey Explorer (WISE)[88][103][104][105][106] there is no well-defined spectral sequence yet and no prototypes. Nevertheless, several objects have been proposed as spectral classes Y0, Y1, and Y2.[107]
The spectra of these prospective Y objects display absorption around 1.55 micrometers.[108] Delorme et al. have suggested that this feature is due to absorption fromammonia, and that this should be taken as the indicative feature for the T-Y transition.[108][109] In fact, this ammonia-absorption feature is the main criterion that has been adopted to define this class.[107] However, this feature is difficult to distinguish from absorption bywater andmethane,[108] and other authors have stated that the assignment of class Y0 is premature.[110]
The latest brown dwarf proposed for the Y spectral type,WISE 1828+2650, is a > Y2 dwarf with an effective temperature originally estimated around 300 K, the temperature of the human body.[103][104][111]Parallax measurements have, however, since shown that its luminosity is inconsistent with it being colder than ~400 K. The coolest Y dwarf currently known isWISE 0855−0714 with an approximate temperature of 250 K, and a mass just seven times that of Jupiter.[112]
The mass range for Y dwarfs is 9–25 Jupiter masses, but young objects might reach below one Jupiter mass (although they cool to become planets), which means that Y class objects straddle the 13 Jupiter massdeuterium-fusion limit that marks the currentIAU division between brown dwarfs and planets.[107]
| Symbols used for peculiar brown dwarfs | |
|---|---|
| pec | This suffix stands for "peculiar" (e.g. L2pec).[113] |
| sd | This prefix (e.g. sdL0) stands forsubdwarf and indicates a low metallicity and blue color[114] |
| β | Objects with the beta (β) suffix (e.g. L4β) have an intermediate surface gravity.[115] |
| γ | Objects with the gamma (γ) suffix (e.g. L5γ) have a low surface gravity.[115] |
| red | The red suffix (e.g. L0red) indicates objects without signs of youth, but high dust content.[116] |
| blue | The blue suffix (e.g. L3blue) indicates unusual blue near-infrared colors for L-dwarfs without obvious low metallicity.[117] |
Young brown dwarfs have lowsurface gravities because they have larger radii and lower masses compared to the field stars of similar spectral type. These sources are marked by a letter beta (β) for intermediate surface gravity and gamma (γ) for low surface gravity. Indication for low surface gravity are weak CaH, KI and NaI lines, as well as strong VO line.[115] Alpha (α) stands for normal surface gravity and is usually dropped. Sometimes an extremely low surface gravity is denoted by a delta (δ).[117] The suffix "pec" stands for peculiar. The peculiar suffix is still used for other features that are unusual and summarizes different properties, indicative of low surface gravity, subdwarfs and unresolved binaries.[118]The prefix sd stands forsubdwarf and only includes cool subdwarfs. This prefix indicates a lowmetallicity and kinematic properties that are more similar tohalo stars than todisk stars.[114] Subdwarfs appear bluer than disk objects.[119]The red suffix describes objects with red color, but an older age. This is not interpreted as low surface gravity, but as a high dust content.[116][117] The blue suffix describes objects with bluenear-infrared colors that cannot be explained with low metallicity. Some are explained as L+T binaries, others are not binaries, such as2MASS J11263991−5003550 and are explained with thin and/or large-grained clouds.[117]
Carbon-stars are stars whose spectra indicate production of carbon – a byproduct oftriple-alpha helium fusion. With increased carbon abundance, and some parallels-process heavy element production, the spectra of these stars become increasingly deviant from the usual late spectral classes G, K, and M. Equivalent classes for carbon-rich stars are S and C.
The giants among those stars are presumed to produce this carbon themselves, but some stars in this class are double stars, whose odd atmosphere is suspected of having been transferred from a companion that is now a white dwarf, when the companion was a carbon-star.
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Originally classified as R and N stars, these are also known ascarbon stars. These are red giants, near the end of their lives, in which there is an excess of carbon in the atmosphere. The old R and N classes ran parallel to the normal classification system from roughly mid-G to late M. These have more recently been remapped into a unified carbon classifier C with N0 starting at roughly C6. Another subset of cool carbon stars are the C–J-type stars, which are characterized by the strong presence of molecules of13CN in addition to those of12CN.[120] A few main-sequence carbon stars are known, but the overwhelming majority of known carbon stars are giants or supergiants. There are several subclasses:
Class S stars form a continuum between class M stars and carbon stars. Those most similar to class M stars have strongZrOabsorption bands analogous to theTiO bands of class M stars, whereas those most similar to carbon stars have strongsodium D lines and weakC2 bands.[121] Class S stars have excess amounts ofzirconium and other elements produced by thes-process, and have more similar carbon and oxygen abundances to class M or carbon stars. Like carbon stars, nearly all known class S stars areasymptotic-giant-branch stars.
The spectral type is formed by the letter S and a number between zero and ten. This number corresponds to the temperature of the star and approximately follows the temperature scale used for class M giants. The most common types are S3 to S5. The non-standard designation S10 has only been used for the starChi Cygni when at an extreme minimum.
The basic classification is usually followed by an abundance indication, following one of several schemes: S2,5; S2/5; S2 Zr4 Ti2; or S2*5. A number following a comma is a scale between 1 and 9 based on the ratio of ZrO and TiO. A number following a slash is a more-recent but less-common scheme designed to represent the ratio of carbon to oxygen on a scale of 1 to 10, where a 0 would be an MS star. Intensities of zirconium andtitanium may be indicated explicitly. Also occasionally seen is a number following an asterisk, which represents the strength of the ZrO bands on a scale from 1 to 5.
In between the M and S classes, border cases are named MS stars. In a similar way, border cases between the S and C-N classes are named SC or CS. The sequence M → MS → S → SC → C-N is hypothesized to be a sequence of increased carbon abundance with age forcarbon stars in theasymptotic giant branch.
The class D (forDegenerate) is the modern classification used for white dwarfs—low-mass stars that are no longer undergoingnuclear fusion and have shrunk to planetary size, slowly cooling down. Class D is further divided into spectral types DA, DB, DC, DO, DQ, DX, and DZ. The letters are not related to the letters used in the classification of other stars, but instead indicate the composition of the white dwarf's visible outer layer or atmosphere.
The white dwarf types are as follows:[122][123]
The type is followed by a number giving the white dwarf's surface temperature. This number is a rounded form of 50400/Teff, whereTeff is theeffective surface temperature, measured inkelvins. Originally, this number was rounded to one of the digits 1 through 9, but more recently fractional values have started to be used, as well as values below 1 and above 9.(For example DA1.5 for IK Pegasi B)[122][124]
Two or more of the type letters may be used to indicate a white dwarf that displays more than one of the spectral features above.[122]
A different set of spectral peculiarity symbols are used for white dwarfs than for other types of stars:[122]
| Code | Spectral peculiarities for stars |
|---|---|
| P | Magnetic white dwarf with detectable polarization |
| E | Emission lines present |
| H | Magnetic white dwarf without detectable polarization |
| V | Variable |
| PEC | Spectral peculiarities exist |
Luminous blue variables (LBVs) are rare, massive and evolved stars that show unpredictable and sometimes dramatic variations in their spectra and brightness. During their "quiescent" states, they are usually similar to B-type stars, although with unusual spectral lines. During outbursts, they are more similar to F-type stars, with significantly lower temperatures. Many papers treat LBV as its own spectral type.[125][126]
Finally, the classesP andQ are left over from the system developed byCannon for theHenry Draper Catalogue. They are occasionally used for certain objects, not associated with a single star: Type P objects are stars withinplanetary nebulae (typically young white dwarfs or hydrogen-poor M giants); type Q objects arenovae.[citation needed]
Stellar remnants are objects associated with the death of stars. Included in the category arewhite dwarfs, and as can be seen from the radically different classification scheme for class D, stellar remnants are difficult to fit into the MK system.
The Hertzsprung–Russell diagram, which the MK system is based on, is observational in nature so these remnants cannot easily be plotted on the diagram, or cannot be placed at all. Old neutron stars are relatively small and cold, and would fall on the far right side of the diagram.Planetary nebulae are dynamic and tend to quickly fade in brightness as the progenitor star transitions to the white dwarf branch. If shown, a planetary nebula would be plotted to the right of the diagram's upper right quadrant. A black hole emits no visible light of its own, and therefore would not appear on the diagram.[127]
A classification system for neutron stars using Roman numerals has been proposed: type I for less massive neutron stars with low cooling rates, type II for more massive neutron stars with higher cooling rates, and a proposed type III for more massive neutron stars (possible exotic star candidates) with higher cooling rates.[128] The more massive a neutron star is, the higherneutrino flux it carries. These neutrinos carry away so much heat energy that after only a few years the temperature of an isolated neutron star falls from the order of billions to only around a million Kelvin. This proposed neutron star classification system is not to be confused with the earlier Secchi spectral classes and the Yerkes luminosity classes.
Several spectral types, all previously used for non-standard stars in the mid-20th century, have been replaced during revisions of the stellar classification system. They may still be found in old editions of star catalogs: R and N have been subsumed into the new C class as C-R and C-N.
While humans may eventually be able tocolonize any kind of stellar habitat, this section will address the probability of life arising around other stars.
Stability, luminosity, and lifespan are all factors in stellar habitability. Humans know of only one star that hosts life, the G-class Sun, a star with an abundance of heavy elements and low variability in brightness. TheSolar System is also unlike manystellar systems in that it only contains one star (seeHabitability of binary star systems).
Working from these constraints and the problems of having an empirical sample set of only one, the range of stars that are predicted to be able to support life is limited by a few factors. Of the main-sequence star types, stars more massive than 1.5 times that of the Sun (spectral types O, B, and A) age too quickly for advanced life to develop (using Earth as a guideline). On the other extreme, dwarfs of less than half the mass of the Sun (spectral type M) are likely to tidally lock planets within their habitable zone, along with other problems (seeHabitability of red dwarf systems).[129] While there are many problems facing life on red dwarfs, many astronomers continue to model these systems due to their sheer numbers and longevity.
For these reasons NASA'sKepler Mission is searching for habitable planets at nearby main-sequence stars that are less massive than spectral type A but more massive than type M—making the most probable stars to host life dwarf stars of types F, G, and K.[129]
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