High mass stars have two main characteristics that distinguish them from lower mass stars:
1. **Shorter Lifespan:** High mass stars have much shorter lifespans compared to lower mass stars. This is because they burn through their fuel (hydrogen) at a much faster rate due to their higher gravitational pressure. As a result, they have more intense nuclear reactions in their cores, leading to a faster consumption of their fuel source. This rapid consumption of fuel causes high mass stars to have shorter main sequence lifetimes, which can range from a few million to a few hundred million years.
2. **High Luminosity:** High mass stars are incredibly luminous, meaning they emit a large amount of energy in the form of light. This high luminosity is a result of the intense nuclear fusion reactions happening in their cores. These reactions generate a significant amount of energy, which is radiated out into space as light. The high luminosity of high mass stars makes them appear very bright in the night sky compared to lower mass stars. For example, massive stars like Betelgeuse and Rigel are easily visible in the night sky due to their high luminosity.
These characteristics of high mass stars demonstrate the significant differences in their behavior and properties compared to lower mass stars in the universe.
