Main Sequence Lifetimes

The main sequence lifetime for most main sequence stars is described by the following equation:

T= 1 M 2.5 MathType@MTEF@5@5@+= feaagKart1ev2aaatCvAUfeBSjuyZL2yd9gzLbvyNv2CaerbuLwBLn hiov2DGi1BTfMBaeXatLxBI9gBaerbd9wDYLwzYbItLDharqqtubsr 4rNCHbGeaGqiVu0Je9sqqrpepC0xbbL8F4rqqrFfpeea0xe9Lq=Jc9 vqaqpepm0xbba9pwe9Q8fs0=yqaqpepae9pg0FirpepeKkFr0xfr=x fr=xb9adbaqaaeGaciGaaiaabeqaamaabaabaaGcbaGaamivaiabg2 da9maalaaabaGaaGymaaqaaiaad2eadaahaaWcbeqaaiaaikdacaGG UaGaaGynaaaaaaaaaa@3BCC@

Note that this equation is in solar units. Mass M is in units of solar masses and Main Sequence Lifetime T is in units of solar lifetimes, where one solar lifetime is 10 billion years.

This equation is a rapidly decreasing function. As M grows, T decreases rapidly. This occurs because as mass increases this greatly increases temperature at the core of the star and the rate at which nuclear reactions occur. Massive stars use their nuclear fuel very rapidly and don't live very long. Low-mass stars use their fuel very conservatively and live a very long time.