Month: July 2025

EDDINGTON LIMIT – The theoretical maximum luminosity a star can have before radiation pressure overcomes gravitational attraction and expels mass.

WOLF-RAYET PHASE – A late stage in the life of very massive stars, characterized by intense mass loss and strong stellar winds.

BLOWOFF – The expulsion of outer layers from a star, usually associated with supernovae or extreme stellar winds.

SUPERNOVA REMNANTS – The aftermath of a star’s death, including expelled mass and shock waves, often influenced by the star’s wind history.

RED GIANT WINDS – Stellar winds from red giants, driven by the star’s expansion and cooling.

LUMINOUS BLUE VARIABLES – Massive stars undergoing significant mass loss through variable stellar winds.

WOLF-RAYET STARS – Massive, evolved stars with strong stellar winds, often losing mass rapidly.

MASS-LOSS RATE – The rate at which a star loses mass, often expressed in terms of solar masses per year.

RADIATION PRESSURE – The force exerted by light from a star that contributes to driving its stellar wind.

THERMAL WIND – A type of stellar wind driven by the high temperatures of a star’s outer layers.