Stellar remnants are the dense, compact objects left behind after a star has exhausted its nuclear fuel and undergone a supernova or similar catastrophic event. Depending on the mass of the progenitor star, these remnants can be white dwarfs, neutron stars, or black holes, each with unique properties and implications for understanding stellar evolution and the dynamics of galaxies.

Stellar Remnants

Stellar remnants

Dense compact objects

Nuclear fuel is a material used in nuclear reactors to sustain a nuclear chain reaction, primarily composed of isotopes like Uranium-235 or Plutonium-239. The efficiency and energy output of nuclear fuel are determined by its enrichment level and the reactor design in which it is used.

nuclear fuel

A supernova is a powerful and luminous explosion of a star, marking the end of its life cycle and resulting in the ejection of most of its mass. This event plays a crucial role in the universe by dispersing elements into space, which contributes to the formation of new stars and planets.

supernova

catastrophic event

progenitor star

White dwarfs are the remnants of stars that have exhausted their nuclear fuel and have collapsed into a dense, Earth-sized object composed mostly of electron-degenerate matter. They represent the final evolutionary state of stars not massive enough to become neutron stars or black holes, gradually cooling and fading over billions of years.

white dwarfs

Neutron stars are the remnants of massive stars that have undergone supernova explosions, resulting in an incredibly dense object primarily composed of neutrons. They exhibit extreme gravitational and magnetic fields, and their study provides insights into fundamental physics and the behavior of matter under extreme conditions.

neutron stars

Black holes are regions in space where the gravitational pull is so strong that nothing, not even light, can escape from them. They are formed when massive stars collapse under their own gravity at the end of their life cycles, leading to singularities surrounded by an event horizon.

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