Supernovae

By Aswini Krishnan, 10th Grade

Challenging but enjoyable, my experience in INSPIRE has marked my debut into the world of astronomy. Live Chats and activities have taught me plenty about solar flares, solar storms, planets, nebulae, galaxies, and infinite other things. However, one thing that I have learned about stands out among the others : supernovae. Why do these massive explosions occur? What all impacts do they have? Although they are extremely powerful and frightening, these explosions are nature's magnificent way of recycling.


Supernovae are basically huge stellar explosions that are energized by gravity. There are two basic types of supernovae. The first type occurs when a carbon-oxygen white dwarf from a binary star system releases matter. Piling up on the white dwarf, the core reaches a large density and sets off an uncontrolled fusion of carbon and oxygen. The second type occurs at the end of a massive star's lifetime. Exhausted, the nuclear fuel can no longer support the star and release nuclear energy; therefore, it cannot hold its own weight. Collapsing, it becomes a supernova. Supernovae scatter matter all around the interstellar medium; ultimately, these are the elements that compose new stars, planets, and everything on earth, including us. The most energetic explosions in nature, supernovae will always fascinate me and will fire up my curiosity for the many years to come.