Stars of less than eight solar masses (M☉) or so are thought to end their lives as a long-lived stellar ember called a white dwarf star. Above the limit, dying stars can become neutron stars or black holes. But before they do, these heavyweights will explode in a supernova....
Another type of supernova, called a thermal runaway supernova, can occur when two stars orbit each other, and one or both of those stars is awhite dwarf. White dwarfs are the remains of a star roughly the size of our Sun when it runs out of fuel. If the stars in one of these bi...
When a star dies, it may end its life in one of two ways: as a supernova remnant or as a neutron star. Explore stellar death and rebirth, learn how...
The Sumerians are likely the first people to base a calendar on thedifferent phases of the moon. As the older of the two calendars, the lunar calendar is easier to follow because all you have to do is observe each phase of the moon's cycle. It doesn't measure the passage of time do...
Dark energy and dark matter account for most of the universe, but what are these elusive phenomena? NASA/JPL/Hubble NASA's Wilkinson Microwave Anisotropy Probe (WMAP) provided a true watershed moment in humanity's quest to understand the cosmos when it calculated the age of the universe and...
Energy Boost was the first pair of running shoes that brought Boost to the masses. The shoe’s responsiveness and premium cushion finish signaled the start of a new era for adidas. ADIDAS SUPERNOVA BOOST In 2015, the adidas Supernova Boost debuted as a supportive shoe for runners who experie...
How does bathymetry affect a shallow water wave such as a tsunami? Does the bottom of the ocean receive any light at all? Explain. When you are at the beach, you notice that the waves seem to "break" at the same point as they come towards shore. Explain what is happening beneath the...
What Is the Steady State Theory of the Universe? What Is a Pair-Instability Supernova or a PISN? What Is an Electron-Capture Supernova? What Is Stellar Nucleosynthesis via Nuclear Fusion?
Neutron stars are created when massive stars reach the ends of their lives and are composed of the densest matter in the known universe.
This causes a complete gravitational collapse that will birth a black hole or a neutron star—also triggering a supernova explosion that blows away what remains of a Wolf-Rayet star’s outer layers. Yet, even before going supernova, Wolf-Rayet stars are losing this outer material. It is ...