What physical property is a direct and precise indicator of a star's perceived color?
Answer
Its surface temperature
The fundamental principle governing the color observed from a star is directly linked to its surface temperature. This relationship is physical, described by the laws of black-body radiation, which dictate how objects radiate energy across the electromagnetic spectrum based on how hot they are. Cooler objects emit energy at longer wavelengths, typically resulting in a redder appearance, whereas hotter objects emit strongly at shorter wavelengths, appearing blue or blue-white. While factors like atmospheric distortion play a minor role in the observed color from Earth, the intrinsic hue is fundamentally determined by the temperature of the star's surface layer.
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