At the February 2005 meeting of the Society, Dr Lindsay Fletcher of Glasgow University gave a most interesting presentation on the Life Cycle of Stars.
She showed computer animations of the star formation process and described how changes take place as the fusion process uses up the hydrogen in a star and how they end their life. In the case of our Sun, the core will eventually shrink to become a white dwarf star, while its outer layers will expand to engulf the Earth.
The temperature at the Earth’s position will be around 2000oC, so life will become untenable. However this won’t happen for about 5 billion years!
Next month’s meeting will be on Wednesday 16th March at 7.30 pm in Braeholm, and will be a Member’s night during which members will talk about aspects of astronomy they are working on.
Visits to the Glasgow University Observatory will take place on 23rd February, 2nd and 30th March; those requiring a lift should meet at the Victoria Halls car park at 6.45 pm.