If a star has a mass of 10 solar masses and a luminosity of 10,000 solar luminosities, how long is its lifetime? (The Sun's lifetime is 10 billion years.)

Question

Quizplus · Accepted Answer

The lifetime of a star is inversely proportional to its mass and luminosity. A star with 10 solar masses and 10,000 solar luminosities will have a much shorter lifetime than the Sun. The lifetime can be estimated as (mass/luminosity) times the Sun's lifetime, which gives approximately 10 million years.

If a Star Has a Mass of 10 Solar Masses