Why are supernovas important?
Supernovae are fundamental to creation itself. When the explosion occurs, elements such as iron, calcium, sodium and all the elements of the periodic table are released in shock waves. These elements have the ability to create planets, plants, and people.
What is inside a planetary nebula?
A planetary nebula (PN, plural PNe), is a type of emission nebula consisting of an expanding, glowing shell of ionized gas ejected from red giant stars late in their lives.
Why does an aging star turn into a supernova?
The core temperature rises to over 100 billion degrees as the iron atoms are crushed together. The repulsive force between the nuclei overcomes the force of gravity, and the core recoils out from the heart of the star in a shock wave, which we see as a supernova explosion.
Do stars grow as they age?
They start out BIG and get smaller as they grow older! That is because the baby stars are formed out of those clouds, and gravity pulls them together to make a star. The baby star starts out big and cool, surrounded by clouds, so you can’t see it. But as it gets older, it gets hotter and brighter.
Why do stars grow as they age?
Why do stars expand as they age? The main reason why they expand as they age is because a star is always getting hotter and hotter as the helium ash from hydrogen fusion slowly builds up at the core and is compressed under its own weight.
Do stars get bigger or smaller?
During stellar evolution[1], a star generally grows bigger in size, and as it grows bigger, its temperature reduces. This process is quite similar to a thermodynamic expansion of an ideal gas. A star forms due to mutual gravitational attraction of particles in a gas cloud. The end state of a star depends on its mass.
Why do stars look blue and red?
The color of a star is linked to its surface temperature. The hotter the star, the shorter the wavelength of light it will emit. The hottest ones are blue or blue-white, which are shorter wavelengths of light. Cooler ones are red or red-brown, which are longer wavelengths.
What if the sun were red?
Even if the Earth were to survive being consumed, its new proximity to the the intense heat of this red sun would scorch our planet and make it completely impossible for life to survive. However, astronomers have noted that as the sun expands, the orbit of the planet’s is likely to change as well.