Astronomy Science ~ A new study shows that our sun will not explode as a powerful supernova when it runs out of fuel, but there will only b...
Astronomy Science ~ A new study shows that our sun will not explode as a powerful supernova when it runs out of fuel, but there will only be fireworks.
Jose Francisco Gomez, from the Institute of Astrophysics of Andalusia (IAA-CSIC) said that in a few trillion years, the sun will drain out of nuclear fuel, expand into a red giant, issued its mass and creating vast planetary nebula with a white dwarf star at its core.
Until now, the development of the death star to planetary nebulae are considered slow and requires a process that 'soft', when compared with the blink of violent supernova explosions of massive stars produced. But recent studies show that the death of intermediate mass stars (like the sun) is something that is totally quiet.
Gomez added that although each star with a mass below ten times the mass of the sun through the transition end of a short, but many details of this process are still not known. The researchers focused on IRAS 15103-5754, the object of which is currently undergoing a transition from a red giant into a planetary nebula. Dubbed the "fountain," objects such as IRAS 15103-5754 produce strong emission generated by water vapor molecules (known as water maser emission). Jet material released so made can be detected and velocities can be measured.
Researchers Luis F. Miranda said that the water molecules are generally destroyed as soon as planetary nebulae are formed, and in rare cases occur in which the maser emission has been detected, the speed is always very low. In the case of IRAS 15103-5754 they saw for the first time the water maser emission at speeds of hundreds of kilometers (miles) per second, and they witnessed the transition from star into a planetary nebula in real time.
Gomez added that this result is contrary to the theories which circulated widely. These observations indicate that, when a planetary nebula star turns, big explosions generated, short but very energetic, which will determine the evolution of the star in the final phase of his life.
The study was published in The Astrophysical Journal.
Jose Francisco Gomez, from the Institute of Astrophysics of Andalusia (IAA-CSIC) said that in a few trillion years, the sun will drain out of nuclear fuel, expand into a red giant, issued its mass and creating vast planetary nebula with a white dwarf star at its core.
Until now, the development of the death star to planetary nebulae are considered slow and requires a process that 'soft', when compared with the blink of violent supernova explosions of massive stars produced. But recent studies show that the death of intermediate mass stars (like the sun) is something that is totally quiet.
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Illustration of the Sun |
Researchers Luis F. Miranda said that the water molecules are generally destroyed as soon as planetary nebulae are formed, and in rare cases occur in which the maser emission has been detected, the speed is always very low. In the case of IRAS 15103-5754 they saw for the first time the water maser emission at speeds of hundreds of kilometers (miles) per second, and they witnessed the transition from star into a planetary nebula in real time.
Gomez added that this result is contrary to the theories which circulated widely. These observations indicate that, when a planetary nebula star turns, big explosions generated, short but very energetic, which will determine the evolution of the star in the final phase of his life.
The study was published in The Astrophysical Journal.