Skip to main content

Featured

Star Betelgeuse - A red supergiant in the constellation Orion

One fascinating star is Betelgeuse, a red supergiant located in the constellation Orion. Here are some intriguing facts about it: 1. Size and Volume: Betelgeuse is immense—if placed at the center of our solar system, it would extend past the orbit of Mars. 2. Variability: It is a pulsating variable star, meaning its brightness changes over time; it has been observed to vary in brightness over several months. 3. Life Cycle: Betelgeuse is nearing the end of its life cycle and is expected to explode as a supernova within the next million years, a relatively short time in astrophysical terms. 4. Distance: It is located approximately 640 light-years away from Earth. 5. Cultural Significance: Betelgeuse has been significant in many cultures and is commonly referred to as the “Shoulder of the Hunter” in the constellation Orion. 6. Color Indicator: Its reddish hue signifies a cooler surface temperature compared to other stars, which gives it a distinctive appearance. Betelgeuse con...
Post a Comment
Read more
Labels

Modeling a core collapse supernova

Stars greater than eight solar-masses end their lives spectacularly—as supernovae. These single-star supernovae are called core collapse supernovae because when their dense cores (at this stage composed primarily of iron) are no longer able to withstand the inward pressure of gravity they collapse inward before exploding. Core collapse supernovae with strong hydrogen emission lines are thought to result from the explosions of red supergiant stars, massive stars that have evolved beyond their principle hydrogen burning stage and grown in radius. Until recently, astronomers thought these stars were relatively quiescent until their final demise, but evidence has been accumulating that they actually experience strong mass loss before exploding. In some models, emission resulting when ejecta from the supernovae encounter these envelopes produces the observed variations in core collapse supernova.

from Astronomy News - Space News, Exploration News, Earth Science News, Earth Science https://ift.tt/2YX0NbI
Labels:

Comments

Post a Comment