What are dwarf stars?
Q: What are dwarf stars?
A: Dwarf stars refer to several types of stars that were originally classified by their brightness in relation to the Sun.
Q: Who coined the term "dwarf stars"?
A: The term "dwarf stars" was coined by the Danish astronomer Ejnar Hertzsprung in 1906.
Q: How did Hertzsprung classify the reddest stars in the Harvard scheme?
A: Hertzsprung classified the reddest stars in the Harvard scheme as K and M and noticed that they could be divided into two distinct groups: giants and dwarfs.
Q: What is the difference between giant and dwarf stars?
A: The difference between giant and dwarf stars is their brightness in relation to the Sun. Giants are much brighter than the Sun, while dwarfs are much fainter.
Q: Why were the dwarf stars given their name?
A: The dwarf stars were given their name because they were fainter than the giants and the term "dwarf" was used to distinguish them from the giants.
Q: How has the term "dwarf stars" been expanded?
A: The term "dwarf stars" has been expanded to include several types of stars beyond the initial classification by brightness, including white dwarfs and brown dwarfs.
Q: When did the term "dwarf stars" become more inclusive?
A: The term "dwarf stars" became more inclusive following its initial use by Hertzsprung, when it was expanded to include other types of stars over time.
