What Is The Smallest Star?

TL;DR

The smallest stars known as red dwarfs can have only 7.5% of the mass of our Sun, with the smallest measured star being at 9% of the Sun's mass.

Transcript

Space and astronomy is always flaunting its size issues. Biggest star, hugest nebula, prettiest most talented massive galaxy, most infinite universe, and which comet came out on top in the bikini category. Blah blah blah. In an effort to balance the scales a little we’re going look at the other end of the spectrum. Today we’re talking small stars. ... Read More

Key Insights

• 🤩 Space and astronomy often focus on the largest stars, but it's also important to consider the smallest stars.
• 🤩 Red dwarf stars, with as little as 7.5% of the Sun's mass, are the smallest type of stars.
• 🤩 The smallest known star is currently measured at 9% of the Sun's mass.
• 🤩 Proxima Centauri, the nearest star to Earth, is a red dwarf with about 12.3% of the Sun's mass.
• 🤩 Red dwarf stars can be much denser than larger stars, as more hydrogen makes them denser without significantly increasing their size.
• 🤩 Visible stars, such as 61 Cygni, Epsilon Eridani, and Alpha Centauri B, are all larger than the Sun.
• 🤩 The Sun, despite being smaller than some visible stars, is perfectly adequate for sustaining life on Earth.

Questions & Answers

Q: What is the smallest known star?

The smallest known star is currently 9% the mass of the Sun, just slightly larger than the smallest theoretically possible size.

Q: Are red dwarf stars visible with the naked eye?

No, red dwarf stars are generally too dim to be seen without a telescope. The smallest star visible with the naked eye is 61 Cygni, which is 66% the size of the Sun.

Q: How does the size of the Sun compare to other visible stars?

The Sun is actually the 4th smallest star that can be seen with the naked eye. Other visible stars are much larger than the Sun.

Q: What determines the size of a star?

The mass and density of a star determine its size. More hydrogen in the core leads to larger stars, while less hydrogen results in smaller stars.

Summary & Key Takeaways

• Stars are typically measured based on their mass and size, with larger stars having more mass and fusion reactions that release energy.

• Red dwarf stars, the smallest type of stars, can have as little as 7.5% of the Sun's mass, with the smallest measured star being at 9% of the Sun's mass.

• The nearest star, Proxima Centauri, is a red dwarf with about 12.3% of the Sun's mass and is only slightly larger than Jupiter.