4,000 stars explode, revealing the horror

(NLDO) - New findings from 4,000 dead stars challenge the understanding of dark energy and how the universe expands.

A research team from the California Institute of Technology (Caltech - USA) and Trinity College Dublin (Ireland) surveyed 4,000 supernovae in the sky to learn about how they end their lives and their impact on the universe.

The 48-inch Palomar Telescope at Palomar Observatory (California - USA) with a sky full of supernovae marked in the background, as well as a zoomed-in image of a galaxy during a supernova and after the explosion - Photo: PALOMAR OBSERVATORY

Supernovae are stars that explode, usually at the end of their lives, when they have exhausted their energy.

Usually this explosion leaves behind a small but energetic white dwarf star. However, some giant stars can also leave behind neutron stars.

These objects will then explode again, releasing all remaining matter into space.

The violent explosions of white dwarfs at the end of their lives play a key role in studying dark energy, the mysterious force driving the expansion of the universe, SciTech Daily cites research.

These supernovae also play a key role in creating essential elements such as titanium, iron and nickel, which are formed under the extreme temperatures and pressures of the explosion.

According to a paper published in the scientific journal Astronomy & Astrophysics, focusing on this type of supernova has left scientists amazed to discover the many strange ways white dwarf stars can explode.

Not only do these "zombie" stars explode when they run out of energy, they also explode when they collide with each other.

There have been documented "double deaths": A layer of accumulated surface material catches fire and explodes, compressing the white dwarf and igniting the core, causing a second explosion...

"The diversity of ways white dwarfs can explode is much greater than previously expected, resulting in explosions that can be so faint as to be barely visible but bright enough to be visible for months to years afterward," the authors said.

These stellar explosions are thought to be one of the factors that create dark energy, the theoretical energy that is driving the expansion of our universe.

In addition, supernovae are also important milestones for astronomers to make cosmic distance measurements.

Source: https://nld.com.vn/4000-ngoi-sao-phat-no-phoi-bay-dieu-khung-khiep-196250218101623959.htm