8/9/2019 Supernovae (Clayton, Uhl)

1/2

ASTRONOMY PROJECT BIBLIOGRAPHY

The Crab Nebula:

The Crab Nebula (above) is what is

remaining from a massive star that

ended its life with a supernova. This

supernova occurred almost one

thousand years ago when chinese

astronomers recorded it in 1054 in the

constellation of Taurus. There is a

neutron star, or a pulsar, at the core of

the nebula that is rotating rapidly,

energizing electrons that are emitting

radiation. The Crab Nebula is about

6,500 light-years away from Earth and

5 light-years across.

By Jack Clayton and

Caleb Uhl

What Is A Supernova?A supernova is the explosion of a star at the

end its life. The supernova can become billions oftimes brighter than the star before it and at maximumbrightness can actually outshine an entire galaxy. Itexpels a huge amount of mass, exceeding ten times

the mass of the star before the supernova, whichcreates a massive shock-wave. This shock-wavesweeps up an expanding shell of gas and dust whichforms supernova remnant. Supernovas can occurin two different ways. Either a type one, or atype two supernova.

Type One Supernova:

Type one supernovasoccur in binary stars. Abinary star is two starsthat are very close toeach other and orbitaround each other. Oneof the stars is muchsmaller than the otherstar. The smaller star iscalled a white dwarf star.In a type one supernovaa white dwarf pulls massfrom another star veryclose to it and when it

reaches about 1.4 timesas big as the sun itexplodes. Type Isupernovae showhydrogen lines while typeII supernovae dont showhydrogen lines.

Type Two Supernova:

A type two supernova is aresult of when a star muchbigger than the sun dies andcauses an explosion. Whenthe core burns out and thestar dies it releases greatforces of energy. In type IIsupernovae, mass flows intothe core making it largerand causes it to explode.Because it cannot evenwithstand its own weight.Neutrons are the only thingthat can stop the implosion.But when this happensmatter bounces off the hard

iron in the cold and it turnsthe implosion into anexplosion.

What Is Left Behind

SUPERNOVAE

http://perma//BLPageReference/EBFDD58A-E388-449A-AADF-DCD4B822367Ehttp://perma//BLPageReference/5F2F92B8-8A69-4502-B4FD-7A6F98774761

8/9/2019 Supernovae (Clayton, Uhl)

2/2

After a supernova many differentthings can be created with the energy andmatter the explosion expels. Sometimes asupernova leaves behind a small but verydense star made up of almost all neutrons

or elementary particles called neutrons.This star is called a neutron star. When aneutron star becomes magnetized it rotatesrapidly. This is a pulsar. Other times, thesupernova creates an invisible objectcalled a black whole, which has anincredibly powerful gravitational pull. Evenlight can not escape the clutches of theblack hole. It is believed that supernovascreated heavy elements like iron, gold, anduranium.