Stars come in many different shapes and sizes and have many different lifespans. Some stars live for billions of years, or even longer, while others have lifespans that can be measured in thousands or even hundreds of years. But which type of star has the shortest life span?
White Dwarf
A white dwarf is the evolutionary endpoint for stars with a mass less than 8 times that of the Sun. These stars have a very short lifespan, typically only lasting a few hundred million years. While white dwarfs are incredibly dense, they are also incredibly small, usually only about the size of Earth.
Hypergiants
Hypergiants are the most massive stars in the universe, measuring up to 1000 times larger than the Sun. Even though they are incredibly massive, they have some of the shortest lifespans in astronomy, lasting anywhere from a few hundred thousand years to a few million years.
Blue Stragglers
Blue stragglers are stars that appear younger than their actual age, due to their unique behavior. Their lifespans can be much shorter than other stars of similar mass, with some stars lasting only a few million years.
Conclusion
When it comes to stars and their life spans, the answer can depend on the type of star. White dwarfs, hypergiants, and blue stragglers all have very short lifespans, with some as short as a few million years. So, if you’re looking for the type of star with the shortest life span, these three are the ones to watch out for.