How long is the main sequence phase for a star like our Sun?
Answer
roughly ten billion years
The main sequence phase constitutes the longest period in a star's life, during which it maintains hydrostatic equilibrium by steadily converting hydrogen fuel into helium within its core. For a star with an initial mass comparable to the Sun, this period of stable, hydrogen-burning existence is extensive, stretching out for an approximate duration of ten billion years. This duration accounts for about 90% of the star's entire active existence, representing a vast timescale of stability before the core hydrogen is exhausted and the star begins its transition into later evolutionary stages.
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