Author: iamdefinitory

MASS LOSS: Red giants and supergiants lose a significant amount of mass through stellar winds, especially in their final stages.

RED SUPERGIANTS: Very massive stars that have expanded significantly during their late evolutionary stages, nearing the end of their lives.

HELIUM FLASH: The rapid onset of helium fusion in the core of a red giant, leading to an increase in luminosity.

PLANETARY NEBULA: A shell of gas and dust expelled by a red giant in the late stages of its evolution.

INSTABILITY: As red giants and supergiants reach the end of their life cycle, they can become unstable, leading to pulsations and even supernovae.

EXPANSION OF OUTER LAYERS: In red giants and supergiants, the outer layers of the star expand and cool as the core runs out of fuel.

CORE CONTRACTION: As a star exhausts hydrogen, its core contracts under gravity while the outer layers expand.

HYDROGEN SHELL: The layer surrounding the core of a red giant where hydrogen is still being fused into helium.

SHELL FUSION: The fusion of hydrogen and helium in shells around the core, occurring in red giants and supergiants.

CORE HELIUM FUSION: The process by which helium is fused into heavier elements, such as carbon and oxygen, in the core of red giants.