Can a star die twice? Scientists spot rare cosmic ‘double detonation’

Can a star die twice? Scientists spot rare cosmic ‘double detonation’

For a long time, scientists believed that just like humans, stars died only once. Now, a rare sighting seems to change the widely held belief. Scientists from the European Space Observatory (ESO) have spotted the first-ever visual evidence of a double detonation of a star, meaning death twice. “This tangible evidence of a double-detonation not […]

Continue Reading
How stars die: White dwarfs, neutron stars and supernovae

How stars die: White dwarfs, neutron stars and supernovae

The stars in the sky seem to shine forever, but they too are subject to lifespans determined by their mass and internal physics. Some last for billions of years and others are transitory in comparison, with far shorter lifetimes.  Regardless of duration, all stars survive by maintaining a balance between two competing forces: the inward […]

Continue Reading
‘Cosmic cannibalism’: Astronomers observe dead star ripping up an entire planetary system

‘Cosmic cannibalism’: Astronomers observe dead star ripping up an entire planetary system

A star is ending its life so violently that the dead star left behind, called a white dwarf, is disrupting an entire planetary system by sucking in debris from both its inner and outer reaches. This cosmic phenomenon is the first time that astronomers have observed. The white dwarf star is consuming the rock-metallic and […]

Continue Reading