The M1 supernova photographed by the Hubble telescope
University of Oregon, The Electronic Universe Project
The Supernova
A Supernova is
a very massive star that explodes at the end of its life. The supernova is where the heavy elements
(heavier than iron) are made.
You might also be interested in:
In the basic Hydrogen fusion cycle, four Hydrogen nuclei come together to make a Helium nucleus. This is the simple version of the story. There are actually electrons, neutrinos and photons involved in
...moreFusion in the core of stars is reached when the density and temperature are high enough. There are different fusion cycles that happen in different phases of the life of a star. These different cycles
...moreNeutron capture can occur when a neutron approaches a nucleus close enough for nuclear forces to be effective. The neutron is captured and forms a heavier isotope of the capturing element. When the new
...moreA Supernova is a very massive star that explodes at the end of its life. The supernova is where the heavy elements (heavier than iron) are made.
...moreThe Sun acts like it has a big magnet in the middle of it. We call this the Sun's magnetic field. The Sun's magnetic field has a fancier name, the Interplanetary Magnetic Field (IMF). This just means that
...moreThe center of an atom is called the nucleus. Nuclei is the plural of nucleus. When two atoms come together, and their nuclei combine, you have fusion. Fusion releases energy. By using Einstein's famous
...more The theory of relativity states that no particle can travel at the speed of light in a vacuum. However, light travels at lower speeds in dense media, like water. A particle traveling in water must have
...moreNeutrino interactions with matter are extremely rare, so detecting a neutrino is very hard. Neutrino detectors are typically large, underground tanks filled with a fluid that reacts to neutrinos. In neutrino
...more