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Why are stars different colours?

A star's colour tells its temperature: blue stars are hottest, red ones coolest.

It's like a piece of metal in a fire: it glows red, then yellow, then white-hot. Our yellow Sun is about 5,500 °C at the surface; blue Rigel is over 10,000 °C, and red Betelgeuse about 3,300 °C.

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