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Astronomer:
Hertzsprung-Russell Diagram: A Closer Look
Below is an example of a Hertzsprung-Russell (HR) Diagram. Answer the following questions:
1. Plot the following stars on the HR Diagram using the information given. Use the star # as a label.
Star #
1
2
3
4
5
6
7
8
9
10
Star Name
Orion
Polaris
Vega
Regulus
Lacaille
Achemar
Ceti
Altair
Alpha Centauri
Zeta Puppis
Luminosity (x Solar Units)
10 000 (104)
6 (100.7782)
40 (101.6021)
1000 (103)
0.02 (10 -1.7)
2000 (103.3)
0.1 (10-1)
0.01 (10-2)
1.6 (10 0.204)
790 000 (105.9)
Surface Temperature (K)
20 300
6 200
12 300
18 300
4 800
24 300
4 800
9 300
6 000
42 400
2. Using the HR Diagram, classify the stars using the following table:
Star
Spectral Class
Type
(O B A F G K M)
(Main Sequence, White Dwarf, Blue Supergiant, Red Giant)
Orion
Polaris
Vega
Regulus
Lacaille
Achemar
Ceti
Altair
Alpha Centauri
Zeta Puppis
Sun
Barnard’s Star
Proxima Centauri
Sirius B
Procyon B
Sirius
Spica
Aldebaran
Antares
Betelgeuse
Deneb
Rigel
3. What is the relationship between color and temperature?
4. Based on the HR Diagram, Sirius can be described as a blueish, A type, Main Sequence star,
more massive than the Sun. It has a surface temperature of approximately 9000 K. It is 102.5
times (316 times) as bright as the Sun.
Write a similar description for the following stars: Zeta Puppis, Proxima Centauri and Antares.
5. Which star will live longer, Zeta Puppis or Polaris? Why?