Astronomers discover secret of the supernova

[n2doc]

Nasa astronomers may have finally discovered what initially sparks a cosmic explosion, according to new research.

By Laura Roberts
Published: 11:45AM GMT 18 Feb 2010
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Supernovas are often used by astronomers as 'cosmic mile markers' to measure the expansion of the universe Photo: AFP/GETTY IMAGES
Scientists used Nasa's Chandra X-Ray laboratory to study supernovas in five nearby elliptical galaxies and the central region of the Andromeda galaxy, a spiral galaxy closest to our own, the Milky Way.

Marat Gilfanov of the Max Planck Institute for Astrophysics in Germany said: "It was a major embarrassment that we did not know how they worked. Now we are beginning to understand what lights the fuse of these explosions."


The study published in the journal Nature suggests that most Type 1a supernovas are sparked by the merging of two white dwarf stars - the name given to the collapsed remnant of an old star.

The stars become unstable when they exceed their weight limit which causes a stellar explosion.

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http://www.telegraph.co.uk/science/science-news/7263199/Astronomers-discover-secret-of-the-supernova.html

[damntexdem]

1. Quick, tell us the secret! Whose fault is it? Is it Obama, or Bill Clinton?

;-)

[HiFructosePronSyrup]

2. Man, what a poorly written article.

Astronomers know that type 1a supernova are caused by two different things:

1. White dwarfs gradually accumulating matter from companion stars until it reaches the Chandrasekhar limit and goes supernova.

2. The merger of two white dwarfs.

The authors of the paper calculate that with method #1, the white dwarf accumulating matter would emit powerful x-rays for about 10,000,000 years before it went supernova.

Thus, given the population of white dwarfs, x-rays, and type 1a supernovae, this group estimates that about 95% of type 1a supernova occurs via process #2.

[laconicsax]

3. Duh! It's the Electric Universe.

Is there nothing that hilarious nonsense alternative theory can't explain?

:rofl:

[coolkid115]

4. Wait I always though

that when stars die ,it runs out of it's source of energy and slowly eats it self till it explodes or turn into dwarf stars?

[HiFructosePronSyrup]

5. Those are type II supernovae.

Great explanations for lay people at wikipedia.