Which color star corresponds to the hottest surface temperature?

Which color star corresponds to the hottest surface temperature?

• A. Red
• B. Yellow
• C. Blue/white
• D. Green

Answer: (C)

Stars glow like blackbodies, so their color shows where their light is strongest. As surface temperature rises, the peak of the emitted spectrum shifts to shorter wavelengths. That means hotter stars emit more blue light and appear blue or blue-white, while cooler stars glow red and cooler still can look yellowish or orange. Green isn’t a typical single-star color because a star’s spectrum isn’t balanced to appear green. So the color associated with the hottest surface temperature is blue/white.

Stars glow like blackbodies, so their color shows where their light is strongest. As surface temperature rises, the peak of the emitted spectrum shifts to shorter wavelengths. That means hotter stars emit more blue light and appear blue or blue-white, while cooler stars glow red and cooler still can look yellowish or orange. Green isn’t a typical single-star color because a star’s spectrum isn’t balanced to appear green. So the color associated with the hottest surface temperature is blue/white.