A star is a giant, super hot ball of gas, like our Sun, held together by a hidden pull called gravity!
What Makes a Star a Star?
According to NASA, a star is a sphere of gas held together by its own gravity. Imagine a huge, giant bubble made of super hot gas, like hydrogen and helium. Gravity is the force that pulls things together, like what keeps us on Earth. For a star, gravity is super strong and pulls all that hot gas together, forming a round shape like a ball. This strong gravity is what makes the star shine brightly!
Here's a simple breakdown:
- Sphere: It's round, like a ball or a planet.
- Gas: It's not solid like a rock, or liquid like water. It's made of hot gases.
- Gravity: This invisible force pulls all the gas inwards, keeping the star from floating away.
Our Closest Star: The Sun
The closest star to Earth is our very own Sun. Because the Sun is so close compared to other stars, scientists can study it up close with special telescopes and spacecraft.
- Why study the Sun? The lessons we learn about the Sun, like how it works, what it's made of, and how long it lives, can help astronomers understand other stars that are much, much farther away.
Stars and Gravity: A Constant Struggle
A star's life is a constant struggle against the force of gravity. Gravity is always trying to squeeze the star smaller and smaller. But the hot gas inside the star is pushing outwards, like air in a balloon. This push and pull is what keeps the star stable for millions or billions of years!
