tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-25327006.post8552913598750569632..comments2024-01-02T10:55:10.607-06:00Comments on Angry Astronomer: More on Stellar EvolutionJon Voiseyhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/11550625188837528980noreply@blogger.comBlogger8125tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-25327006.post-26504436065707162732011-05-10T18:21:01.931-05:002011-05-10T18:21:01.931-05:00Very cool post--and about iron being the stopping ...Very cool post--and about iron being the stopping point for fusion, what happens that gets us to heavier elements like Uranium?Redbeardhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/09040332716326812603noreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-25327006.post-35977609832295061842011-05-10T18:21:01.758-05:002011-05-10T18:21:01.758-05:00Cool post, I'm looking forward to the next in ...Cool post, I'm looking forward to the next in the series.<br><br>I remember bits of this from that first-year astronomy course I took long ago, and I still find it very interesting.<br><br>Thanks for putting this up.TheBrummellhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/08973380652057861796noreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-25327006.post-81468699494205151342011-05-10T18:21:01.507-05:002011-05-10T18:21:01.507-05:00Heavier elements are cooked up in the supernova it...Heavier elements are cooked up in the supernova itself. This releases so much energy that some goes into fusing these elements.Jon Voiseyhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/11550625188837528980noreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-25327006.post-32872197846570707142007-04-07T00:41:00.000-05:002007-04-07T00:41:00.000-05:00The cores of stars do survive supernovae, but are ...The cores of stars do survive supernovae, but are greatly altered. As I pointed out, the collapse will trigger some violent reactions, causing all sorts of fusion, smashing electrons into protons to make neutrons, and the like.<BR/><BR/>So the answer to your first question is that the core can survive, but it's not going to be a chunk of iron. Theory suggests it will either be a neutron star or a black hole.<BR/><BR/>As far as white dwarves "burning out", well, they're not really burning much of anything anymore. Since they're no longer generating energy, they are sustained only by the latent heat from their previous life. As such, they'll slowly radiate all their energy off and slowly fade away.Jon Voiseyhttps://www.blogger.com/profile/11550625188837528980noreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-25327006.post-19145461312739549502007-04-07T00:29:00.000-05:002007-04-07T00:29:00.000-05:00Hi! Quick question: Is it possible for the iron co...Hi! Quick question: Is it possible for the iron core to survive a supernova? Or for an older star like a white dwarf to eventually completely "burn out"?<BR/><BR/>The reason I ask is because I've read sci-fi involving stuff like this and I've always wondered if it was possible :)Anonymousnoreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-25327006.post-35671722158683113362007-04-06T17:44:00.000-05:002007-04-06T17:44:00.000-05:00Heavier elements are cooked up in the supernova it...Heavier elements are cooked up in the supernova itself. This releases so much energy that some goes into fusing these elements.Jon Voiseyhttps://www.blogger.com/profile/11550625188837528980noreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-25327006.post-70600287491164847042007-04-06T17:14:00.000-05:002007-04-06T17:14:00.000-05:00Very cool post--and about iron being the stopping ...Very cool post--and about iron being the stopping point for fusion, what happens that gets us to heavier elements like Uranium?Redbeardhttps://www.blogger.com/profile/09040332716326812603noreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-25327006.post-19002785425037451262007-04-06T12:42:00.000-05:002007-04-06T12:42:00.000-05:00Cool post, I'm looking forward to the next in the ...Cool post, I'm looking forward to the next in the series.<BR/><BR/>I remember bits of this from that first-year astronomy course I took long ago, and I still find it very interesting.<BR/><BR/>Thanks for putting this up.TheBrummellhttps://www.blogger.com/profile/08973380652057861796noreply@blogger.com