ESA Science & Technology - Variable stars in the Hertzsprung-Russell diagram

This video shows the way variable stars change their brightness and colour over time, as viewed by ESA's Gaia satellite using information from the mission's second data release. The stars are plotted on a Hertzsprung-Russell diagram, named after the astronomers who devised it in the early 20th century, which locates stars according to their colour and brightness.

Acknowledgement: Gaia Data Processing and Analysis Consortium (DPAC); Gaia Coordination Unit 7; K. Nienartowicz / L. Eyer / L. Rimoldini / O. Marchal / F. Glass

 
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