Hot, blue-white stars with surface temperatures between 10,000-30,000 Kelvin, more common than O-type stars but still relatively rare. These massive stars have lifespans of 10-100 million years and often show strong stellar winds.
Part of the Harvard spectral classification system, the B-type designation survived the reorganization from alphabetical to temperature-based ordering. The classification is based on characteristic absorption lines in the star's spectrum, particularly hydrogen and helium lines.
B-type stars are the cosmic middle children - not as extreme as O-type giants, but still hot enough to ionize entire regions of space around them! Stars like Rigel and Spica are B-type stars that create beautiful emission nebulae by energizing surrounding gas clouds. They're massive enough to end their lives as supernovae, contributing to the galaxy's chemical evolution.
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