Star light, star bright, First star I see tonight, I wish I may, I wish I might, Have this wish I wish tonight.

a star begins as a huge cloud of hydrogen (nebula)

gravity compresses the nebula until hydrogen fuses into helium

once fusion happens a star is formed

fusion reaction: H + H He + stuff 2 pieces of hydrogen becomes 1 piece of helium with some stuff remaining

fusion creates incredible amounts of energy

einstein’s formula e = m c 2 e = energy m = matter (stuff) c = the speed of light (186,000 miles per second)

multiple any amount by 186,000 squared, you get a huge amount

red orange yellow green blue indigo violet Stars emit this energy in the form of the electromagnetic spectrum (EMS)   radio waves white light gamma rays least energy R O Y G B I V greatest energy longest wavelengths shortest wavelengths red orange yellow green blue indigo violet

Humans only see white light (ROYGBIV), if white light passes through a prism the light refracts (bends)

the amount the light refracts depends on the wavelength, red bends the least and violet bends the most, this creates the rainbow of color

using a prism allows you to determine many characteristics of the light source  astronomers use a spectroscope (prism) to study stars