What specific characteristic determines the color associated with hotter stars versus cooler stars?
Answer
Hotter stars emit the vast majority of light at shorter wavelengths, appearing blue or white.
The color displayed by a star is a direct consequence of its effective surface temperature, following Wien's displacement law principles, which are reflected in stellar astrophysics. Stars with very high surface temperatures possess enough thermal energy to shift their peak electromagnetic emission toward the higher energy, shorter wavelength end of the visible spectrum, resulting in a blue or white appearance. Conversely, stars with lower surface temperatures peak at longer, lower-energy wavelengths, leading to an observed reddish hue.
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