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Death of a Star

With the discovery of a bright, long-lived supernova, scientists believe they have found a spectacular new way for stars to die

By Gregory Mone Posted 5.20.08 at 3:21 pm 0 Comments

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How does a regular star produce different elements?
Medi-Mation
Fusion in the core combines hydrogen atoms to make helium. If the star is massive enough, this process continues. Helium particles combine to form carbon, and on up the chain to iron.
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So how do astronomers know that sn2006gy isn’t just a really bright supernova?
Medi-Mation
SN2006GY was not only far brighter than any previous supernova; it also stayed bright far longer than its predecessors—more than a year, so far. The energy given off by decaying radioactive nickel is what generates the bright light we see in any supernova. Smith thinks 2006GY has stayed bright for so long because it dispatched much more nickel.
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