Hypernovae: the most powerful explosions in the universe

[Freedom.]

You've all heard of supernovae. If a supernova happened within a hundred light years, all the life on earth would likely be wiped out. Supernovae occur when a supergiant star explodes or a white dwarf disintegrates.

However, there's something much more powerful and much rarer than supernovae called hypernovae.

Hypernovae happen when a hypergiant star explodes - a hypernova within several thousand light years would wipe out most if not all life on earth.

http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Hypernova

Hypergiant stars are the most massive and luminous stars known. Hypergiant stars comprise about 100-150 solar masses worth of material, approaching the Eddington limit, a theoretical upper limit of stellar mass, after which the star begins throwing off huge amounts of material due to its great radiation. However, there are some hypergiant stars with around 100 solar masses that are thought to have once weighed 200-250 solar masses, challenging current theories of star formation. Hypergiants may be thousands up to 40 million times more luminous than our Sun.

Because hypergiants are so massive, their cores are extremely hot and pressurized, leading to rapid nuclear fusion of hydrogen, helium, carbon, neon, oxygen, and eventually silicon. As silicon fuses to iron the core, a process that only takes a couple weeks, the star can extract no more energy from nuclear fusion (the fusion of iron requiring even greater temperature) and a supernova occurs when the star collapses and then "bounces back" outwards.

[fight_professor]

I love space and stellar evolution is my favourite sub-field. Hypernovae and co are fascinating, creating the building blocks of life itself.

[Freedom.]

Originally Posted by fight_professor

I love space and stellar evolution is my favourite sub-field. Hypernovae and co are fascinating, creating the building blocks of life itself.

It is indeed fascinating. The heavier elements are created within the stars, and are spread out into space by the explosions.

[fight_professor]

Everything heavier then Iron. We are, in part, literally stardust.

[talip bin osman]

Originally Posted by fight_professor

Everything heavier then Iron. We are, in part, literally stardust.

stardust figuring out stars...

amazing...

[fight_professor]

Since I was a kid, the dazzling night sky has always captivated me. There are some wonderful documentaries on stellar evolution on youtube and stuff. Check them out.

I have gigs of space programs downloaded, but if you just want to 'quick fix'.

[Mr. Fantastic]

Great Thread.

[Mr. Fantastic]

Originally Posted by fight_professor

Since I was a kid, the dazzling night sky has always captivated me. There are some wonderful documentaries on stellar evolution on youtube and stuff. Check them out.

I have gigs of space programs downloaded, but if you just want to 'quick fix'.

Same here. Makes you wonder about what's out there in the universe.

[fight_professor]

Originally Posted by Mr. Fantastic

Same here. Makes you wonder about what's out there in the universe.

Definitely. I enjoy reading the space sections of New Scientist and Scientific American which have great coverage. We are discovering new stuff every day.

My fave things are LBV stars and Magnetars. Those mofos are truly badass.

[Mr. Fantastic]

Originally Posted by fight_professor

Definitely. I enjoy reading the space sections of New Scientist and Scientific American which have great coverage. We are discovering new stuff every day.

My fave things are LBV stars and Magnetars. Those mofos are truly badass.

Magnetars ain't no joke. I also see most of the Ted talks regarding space. Pretty awesome to look at when I have time and not thinking about boxing. lol

Just imagine if NASA had the same budget as our Defense. We'd discovery much more things every day. I hope to live the day when a man lands on Mars.