main sequence
noun
: the group of stars that on a graph of spectrum versus luminosity forms a band comprising 90 percent of stellar types and that includes stars representative of the stages a normal star passes through during the majority of its lifetime
Examples of main sequence in a Sentence
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Usually, these protostars gather enough mass to generate the pressures and temperatures in the core to fuse hydrogen to helium, which is the nuclear process that defines what a main sequence star is.
—
Robert Lea, Space.com, 24 Dec. 2024
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Our home star, the sun, is a middle-aged main sequence star.
—Conor Feehly, Discover Magazine, 9 Oct. 2024
After main sequence, however, stars like ours will run out of hydrogen fuel to burn — which could occur anywhere from about 6 to 7 billion years from now.
—Stephen C. George, Discover Magazine, 18 Apr. 2023
The model that best matched the data found a ratio of 2,000 planets for every main sequence star in the galaxy —billions of stars.
—Mara Johnson-Groh, Discover Magazine, 9 Feb. 2018
In fact, they're considered the smallest main sequence of stars, per NASA.
—Julia Johnson, Washington Examiner, 11 Jan. 2023
That’s about half the main sequence life of the largest stars in our solar neighborhood.
—Bruce Dorminey, Forbes, 27 Dec. 2022
However, most of these are around main sequence stars and red dwarfs.
—The Physics Arxiv Blog, Discover Magazine, 30 Sep. 2022
These types of stars, which are very common in the Milky Way and throughout the universe, are the dimmest and smallest of stars that fuse hydrogen into helium in their cores, known as main sequence stars.
—Sarah Kuta, Smithsonian Magazine, 25 Oct. 2022
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Robert Lea, Space.com, 24 Dec. 2024
Newsletter Sign up for our email newsletter for the latest science news
Our home star, the sun, is a middle-aged main sequence star.
—Conor Feehly, Discover Magazine, 9 Oct. 2024
After main sequence, however, stars like ours will run out of hydrogen fuel to burn — which could occur anywhere from about 6 to 7 billion years from now.
—Stephen C. George, Discover Magazine, 18 Apr. 2023
The model that best matched the data found a ratio of 2,000 planets for every main sequence star in the galaxy —billions of stars.
—Mara Johnson-Groh, Discover Magazine, 9 Feb. 2018
In fact, they're considered the smallest main sequence of stars, per NASA.
—Julia Johnson, Washington Examiner, 11 Jan. 2023
That’s about half the main sequence life of the largest stars in our solar neighborhood.
—Bruce Dorminey, Forbes, 27 Dec. 2022
However, most of these are around main sequence stars and red dwarfs.
—The Physics Arxiv Blog, Discover Magazine, 30 Sep. 2022
These types of stars, which are very common in the Milky Way and throughout the universe, are the dimmest and smallest of stars that fuse hydrogen into helium in their cores, known as main sequence stars.
—Sarah Kuta, Smithsonian Magazine, 25 Oct. 2022
Cite this Entry
“Main sequence.” Merriam-Webster.com Dictionary, Merriam-Webster, https://www.merriam-webster.com/dictionary/main%20sequence. Accessed 28 Feb. 2025.
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