What does "Kraft Break" mean?

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The Kraft Break is a important point in the study of stars, specifically how they rotate. It happens around mid-F stars, where cooler, slowly rotating stars change to hotter, rapidly rotating stars. This change is linked to the loss of a star's outer layer that allows it to cool down.

When scientists looked at a group of F-type stars that are relatively close to Earth, they found a clear difference in how fast these stars rotate based on their color. Stars that are redder tend to rotate slowly, while those that are bluer rotate much faster. This pattern shows that there is a specific temperature, around 6550 K, where this change in rotation occurs.

The Kraft Break sets a useful separation between low mass stars and intermediate mass stars. It is significant because it connects to changes in how these stars are structured and how they behave in space.