Question

If a small cluster contains ONLY red stars, what can we conclude about the stars in that cluster?

a) All the stars are young.

b) All the stars have the same temperature.

c) All the stars have the same size.

d) All the stars have similar spectral characteristics.

Answer 1

A cluster containing only red stars indicates that the stars share similar spectral characteristics, associated with older, cooler stars. These stars are in a later stage of stellar evolution, such as red giants, despite potential differences in size or precise temperature.

Step-by-step explanation:

If a small cluster contains only red stars, we can conclude that all the stars have similar spectral characteristics. Red stars are often older and cooler than their blue or white counterparts, showing they are likely in a later stage of stellar evolution, such as the red giant phase. Even though the cluster's stars may vary in size and temperature, they all exhibit the reddish hue associated with lower surface temperatures and specific spectral properties. This is consistent with the nature of star clusters, where stars are formed at about the same time and from the same cloud, having roughly the same age and composition, but may differ in mass which influences their life stage and spectral characteristics.