Project Universe 25 - Supernovae & Pulsars

Electron degeneracy pressure limits lower mass stars from burning carbon into oxygen and evolving further. Stars higher than 4 solar masses will go supernova when carbon is burned into oxygen and so on up the atomic numbers until no more nuclear energy is available. The star then collapses catastrophically.

Massive stars explode when electrons and protons are crushed together into neutrons, which results in the core suddenly imploding. The rebound then triggers the supernova explosion. A neutron star is the remnant of a supernova explosion.

Pulsars are rotating neutron stars beaming energy along its magnetic pole in our direction.

Note: William J Cocke (shown in video) made the first-ever optical observation of a pulsar in 1968 by looking into the Crab Nebula.

Shock waves from supernovae may trigger star formation. Supernovae are the source of cosmic rays.

Category:

Science & Technology

Tags:

• Project
• Universe
• astronomy