Published online by Cambridge University Press: 12 April 2016
The most important ingredient of a stellar model is its initial mass. Hence, real stars with known masses are important test objects for stellar models. Initial chemical composition is the other important starting parameter and should therefore also be known (Clausen, 1992). Finally, the most direct indicator of the evolution of a star is its radius. Together, these parameters determine the effective temperature and luminosity of the model, to be tested against a real star.