Image Shows the Remains of a Star Destroyed by Two Explosions
Most supernovae are the explosive deaths of massive stars, but one important variety comes from an unassuming source. White dwarfs, the small, inactive cores left over after stars like our Sun burn out their nuclear fuel, can produce what astronomers call a Type Ia supernova. “The explosions of white dwarfs play a crucial role in […]
Missing Link Found: Supernovae Give Rise to Black Holes or Neutron Stars (Video)
When massive stars reach the end of their lives, they collapse under their own gravity so rapidly that a violent explosion known as a supernova ensues. Astronomers believe that, after all the excitement of the explosion, what is left is the ultra-dense core, or compact remnant, of the star. Depending on how massive the star […]