Physics
How do stars produce their light?
Quick fact
Stars are massive balls of plasma powered by nuclear fusion in their cores.
Why this is interesting
Every star in the night sky is a giant nuclear reactor transforming matter into energy.
Read the full explanation
Understanding How do stars produce their light?
Stars form when clouds of gas collapse under gravity. The pressure and temperature become high enough for hydrogen atoms to fuse together, releasing enormous amounts of energy as light and heat.
A deeper explanation
Stars are fundamental engines of the universe. Through their lifetimes, they create heavier elements through nuclear fusion and distribute these elements through stellar winds and explosions. The carbon, oxygen, and iron found on Earth were created inside previous generations of stars.