white dwarf
White Dwarf Measured Before it Exploded as a Supernova
Using isotope measurements of a supernova remnant, astronomers have calculated the core density of a white dwarf before it exploded.
How can White Dwarfs Produce Such Powerful Magnetic Fields?
White dwarfs have some surprisingly strong magnetic fields, and one team of astronomers may have finally found the reason why.…
White Dwarf Atmospheres Might Contain the Pulverized Crusts of Their Dead Planets
Astronomers have developed a new technique to search for exoplanets - by looking for their crushed up bones in the…
James Webb Will Look for Signs of Life on Planets Orbiting Dead Stars
Can the galaxy's dead stars help us in our search for life? A group of researchers from Cornell University thinks…
There’s a flash of ultraviolet just as a white dwarf is exploding as a supernova
Astronomers recently spotted a rare type of supernova explosion that was accompanied by a massive flare of ultraviolet radiation. Untangling…
A Star had a Partial Supernova and Kicked Itself Into a High-Speed Journey Across the Milky Way
Supernovae are some of the most powerful events in the Universe. They're extremely energetic, luminous explosions that can light up…
White dwarfs are a big source of carbon in the Universe
In their nuclear hearts, stars fuse elements heavier than hydrogen, creating the ingredients necessary to make planets, oceans, and people.…
Astronomers Watch a Nova Go From Start to Finish for the First Time
A nova is a dramatic episode in the life of a binary pair of stars. It's an explosion of bright…
Astronomers Watched a Star System Die
About 570 light years from Earth lies WD 1145+017, a white dwarf star. In many respects it's a typical white…
Two White Dwarfs Merged Together Into a Single “Ultramassive” White Dwarf
Astronomers have found a white dwarf that was once two white dwarfs. The pair of stars merged into one about…