📖 what

What is a supernova?

SpacePhysicsAstronomy

Quick Answer

A supernova is the colossal explosion of a dying star, briefly outshining an entire galaxy and forging heavy elements.

The Full Story

A supernova marks the violent death of a star. It happens either when a massive star exhausts its fuel and its core collapses, or when a white dwarf pulls in too much matter and detonates. In seconds, the blast releases more energy than the Sun will emit in its entire lifetime, and for a few weeks it can outshine all the other stars in its galaxy combined. Supernovae forge and scatter heavy elements like gold and iron, seeding space with the ingredients for new stars, planets, and life.

Key Facts

1.A supernova can briefly outshine an entire galaxy
2.They forge heavy elements like iron and gold
3.The last one seen in our galaxy with the naked eye was in 1604

YouTube Angle

Suggested video title for this topic:

"What Is a Supernova — How Stars Die in Fire"