NASA | Afterschool Universe: Supernova Can Crunch

Afterschool Universe is an out-of-school-time astronomy program for middle school students that explores basic astronomy concepts through engaging hands-on activities and then takes participants on a journey through the Universe beyond the Solar System.

This video shows a demonstration of the principle of why a large star collapses at the end of its life.

If you are interested in the Afterschool Universe program, visit their website at http://universe.nasa.gov/afterschool/

You can also go to the Afterschool Universe YouTube channel for more demonstration videos http://www.youtube.com/user/AfterschoolUniverse

This video is public domain and can be downloaded at: ‪http://svs.gsfc.nasa.gov/goto?10116

Like our videos? Subscribe to NASA's Goddard Shorts HD podcast:
‪http://svs.gsfc.nasa.gov/vis/iTunes/f0004_index.html‬

Or find NASA Goddard Space Flight Center on facebook:
‪http://www.facebook.com/NASA.GSFC‬

Or find us on Twitter:
‪http://twitter.com/NASAGoddard‬

Category:

Science & Technology

Tags:

• astrophysics
• activity
• lesson
• education
• black holes
• supernova
• stars

[khunopie]

i gots me a edumacated

[AlphaCrucis]

@Shift4chizzle Galaxies have black holes at their center, but this doesn't come about due to galactic collisions. So your last comment isn't correct, but your other two are correct, even if a little rough. ;)

[KoPhyoKo]

you guys should make NASA food channel too.

[poofu99]

o my god a ginger!!!

[sano0311]

and we already have world of Warcraft heroes disapproving the science....perhaps if the lady compared the experiments to "zits" instead of "fusion" it would be little more familiar???

[changbroot]

This is not correct, because this demonstration is sudden, while the "fuel/fussion," in a star is slow which allows equilibrium to reach slowly. Also, at such EXTREME temperature, there is no molecule, and atoms don't even exist as we know it, because electrons move freely. Those things or "supernovas," are not yet truly understood. We don't even know if the universe or our "sophisticated," scopes plays tricks on us or not. To conclude complete understanding of outer space is foolish.

[nomidubidabi]

@rottencranberry Stars fuse elements up to iron and many elements are created only during supernova explosions, like fluorine or uranium for example.

[Shift4chizzle]

@AlphaCrucis lol ok thanks, cos i watched a video from this channel a long time ago i think i jst got muddled up, cos it said somehting like that

[rottencranberry]

How do the Periodic Elements Table come from? I mean, stars begin whit hidrogen and supernovas end up whith an iron core, but what about the others elements, i. e. argon, etc.

Thanks and regards.

"All we are star dust". C. Sagan.

[Tripside007]

@FurkanKhan100 Roughly, when a star dies, several things can happen depending mostly on the star's mass. Supernovas only occur on stars that have at least 8x the mass of our sun, after that, it can still turn into several things, one being a black hole, also depending on the mass of the original star, which should have to be around 50x the mass of our sun, (correct me if I'm not wrong - not sure about this last value).