A supernova is a huge explosion that happens at the end of a big star's life. These stars are more than eight times bigger than our sun.
Here's what happens during a supernova:
Nuclear Fusion Stops: The center of the star collapses when nuclear fusion (the process that keeps the star shining) stops. This causes temperatures to soar above one billion degrees Kelvin!
Massive Energy Release: During a supernova, the star can shine brighter than entire galaxies. It releases a staggering amount of energy, around 10^44 joules. That’s a lot more energy than we can even imagine!
Leftover Stars: After the explosion, what’s left can become really dense objects. These could be neutron stars or black holes, which have super high densities—much heavier than anything we know!
Supernovae play a crucial role in spreading elements like carbon and iron into space. This is important because these heavy elements are key building blocks for creating new stars and planets in the universe.
A supernova is a huge explosion that happens at the end of a big star's life. These stars are more than eight times bigger than our sun.
Here's what happens during a supernova:
Nuclear Fusion Stops: The center of the star collapses when nuclear fusion (the process that keeps the star shining) stops. This causes temperatures to soar above one billion degrees Kelvin!
Massive Energy Release: During a supernova, the star can shine brighter than entire galaxies. It releases a staggering amount of energy, around 10^44 joules. That’s a lot more energy than we can even imagine!
Leftover Stars: After the explosion, what’s left can become really dense objects. These could be neutron stars or black holes, which have super high densities—much heavier than anything we know!
Supernovae play a crucial role in spreading elements like carbon and iron into space. This is important because these heavy elements are key building blocks for creating new stars and planets in the universe.