What is the helium flash in the context of stellar evolution?
Answer
The ignition of helium fusion in the core
The red giant phase is a temporary state of reconfiguration. As the helium core continues to contract and its temperature rises, it eventually reaches the threshold required to ignite helium fusion. This sudden ignition event is known as the helium flash. Once this happens, the star undergoes another dramatic change, causing it to shrink slightly and stabilize into a new period often categorized as the horizontal branch.
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