What color light do stars exceeding 20,000 Kelvin primarily emit?
Answer
Intense, brilliant blue-white light
The visible appearance of a star is directly linked to its surface temperature, which in turn is driven by the energy generated in the core. Our Sun, with a surface temperature around 5,800 Kelvin, emits light appearing yellowish-white. Massive stars generate so much more internal energy that their surfaces must reach much higher temperatures, often exceeding 20,000 or 30,000 Kelvin, to radiate that energy outward and maintain equilibrium. At these extreme temperatures, the peak emission of light shifts significantly toward the shorter wavelength end of the spectrum, resulting in the observed intense, brilliant blue-white light.
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