G-type main-sequence star
| G-type main-sequence star | |
|---|---|
The Sun, the star at the center of the Solar System, is a G-type main-sequence star. | |
| Characteristics | |
| Type | Class of medium main sequence star. |
| Mass range | 0.89–1.07 M☉ |
| Temperature | 5,380–5,930 K |
| Average luminosity | 0.55–1.35 L☉ |
| External links | |
| Media category | |
| Q5864 | |
A G-type main-sequence star is a main-sequence star of spectral type G. The spectral luminosity class is V. Such a star has about 0.9 to 1.1 solar masses and an effective temperature between about 5,300 and 6,000 K (5,000 and 5,700 °C; 9,100 and 10,000 °F). Like other main-sequence stars, a G-type main-sequence star converts the element hydrogen to helium in its core by means of nuclear fusion.
The Sun is an example of a G-type main-sequence star (more specifically a G2V star). Each second, the Sun fuses approximately 600 million tons of hydrogen into helium in a process known as the proton–proton chain (4 hydrogens form 1 helium), converting about 4 million tons of matter to energy. Besides the Sun, other well-known examples of G-type main-sequence stars include Alpha Centauri, Tau Ceti, and 51 Pegasi.