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Progenitor Star

All articles tagged with #progenitor star

astronomy2 years ago

"Stellar Transformation: Celestial Body's Astonishing Weight Loss Precedes Spectacular Supernova"

A newly discovered Type II supernova, SN 2023ixf, challenges the standard theory of stellar evolution as it exhibited unexpected behavior prior to its explosion. Observations revealed that the shock breakout of the supernova was delayed by several days, indicating extreme mass loss close to the mass of the sun in the final year before the explosion. This sheds light on the instability and potential nuclear burn-off of high-mass elements in the star's core. The discovery provides valuable insights into the evolution of massive stars and their supernova explosions.

astronomy2 years ago

NuSTAR uncovers unique features of brightest gamma-ray burst.

Scientists have used data from NASA's Nuclear Spectroscopic Telescope Array (NuSTAR) X-ray observatory to study the origins and characteristics of the brightest gamma-ray burst ever detected, named GRB 221009A. The burst was 70 times brighter than the previous record holder and far more energetic than any other gamma-ray burst ever detected. The team of scientists found that the jet of material in GRB 221009A was uniquely different than other gamma-ray burst jets, and the energy of the material within the jet varied as the distance from the jet’s core increased, a phenomenon never observed before. The physical characteristics of the progenitor star may have something to do with GRB 221009A’s unique characteristics.