Spring 2010 Astronomy 110 MWF 9:30 &mdash 10:20

11. DEAD STARS

Low-mass stars fight gravity to a standstill by becoming white dwarfs — degenerate spheres of ashes left over from nuclear burning. If they gain too much mass, however, these ashes can re-ignite, producing a titanic explosion. High-mass stars may make a last stand as neutron stars — degenerate spheres of neutrons. But at slightly higher masses, gravity triumphs and the result is a black hole — an object with a gravitational field so strong that not even light can escape.

Reading

Please read all subsections of each section below.

13.1 White Dwarfs
13.2 Neutron Stars
13.3 Black Holes: Gravity's Ultimate Victory

Online

  1. Complete the Dead Stars assignment, due Monday, 5 Apr 2010 at 9:00 am.

  2. Review the lecture slides.
Joshua E. Barnes      (barnes at ifa.hawaii.edu)
Updated: 31 March 2010
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