Star, any massive self-luminous celestial body of gas that shines by radiation derived from its internal energy sources. This article describes the properties and evolution of individual stars.
Xmas (also X-mas) is a common abbreviation of the word Christmas. It is sometimes pronounced / ˈɛksməs /, but Xmas, and variants such as Xtemass, originated as handwriting abbreviations for the typical pronunciation / ˈkrɪsməs /.
One of the earliest known uses of the word “Xmas” in English dates back to 1021 CE, when an Anglo-Saxon scribe jotted down “XPmas” as a way to save space on his precious parchment.
But what about ‘ Xmas ’? Lots of people think this is just a modern-day abbreviation – but it actually dates back to the 16th century! The ‘X’ is said to represent the Greek letter ‘Chi’ – the first letter in the Greek word for Christ, Χριστός (pronounced ‘ Christos’).
The popular abbreviation “Xmas” comes from the Greek letter Chi (X), symbolizing Christ. The date December 25 was established in the 4th century to align with Roman winter festivals.
The Conversation: What was the ‘Christmas Star’? Astronomy might hold the answer
In the run up to Christmas, carols fill the air. Many have an astronomical twist, singing of the “Christmas Star” from the story of the nativity. Described in the Gospel of Matthew, the star guided ...
Its total mass mainly determines its evolution and eventual fate. A star shines for most of its active life due to the thermonuclear fusion of hydrogen into helium in its core. This process releases energy that traverses the star's interior and radiates into outer space.