Explosions in space are called Nova. This term is defined as the rapid increase and the eventual explosion of a star. The word has Latin origins and means “new star”.
'Stars' Category Archives
Neutron Star
Stars go through various phases of its existence. No one knows for sure how stars are formed, but astronomers theorize that they first come into birth as a nebula, and they finally end their lives as a neutron star, otherwise known as a white dwarf. Thereafter, they are assumed to to form part of a […]
Evening Star
Venus, the second planet away from the sun, completes one revolution in about 225 earth days. It is a very bright heavenly body, which has a peak apparent magnitude of -4.6. This brightness is enough to cast shadows on earth. Because it shines most brightly right before the sun rises and right after the sun […]
Stellar Evolution
Stellar evolution encompasses the life of a star from its formation until its end. Many astronomers believe that the birthplaces of a star are those molecular clouds of gas located in the spiral arms of galaxies. The life of a star begins when protostars are created from the collapsed dense regions of gas clouds. At […]
Red Supergiant
The biggest stars in the universe are called red supergiants. To get a picture of how huge these stars are, just imagine being able to fit 1800 suns into one red supergiant or imagine the sun growing so much that it already reaches the orbit of Saturn. But their superiority in size does not mean […]
Red Dwarf
When you look at stars in the night sky, it appears like they are just tiny dots of light that look the same. However, they are millions of lights years away, stars look very different from how they appear at night. They are in fact classified into several types according to their size, temperature, and […]
Protostar
Thanks to Viktor Ambartsumian, a Soviet physicist, who proposed the existence of a protostar. Because of that much is known today about how stars are formed, dispelling unfounded beliefs of their origin.
Spectral Class of Stars
Organization in science is a must. When trying to classify, scientists call this the study of classification or taxonomy. Well, in terms of astronomy, there is also organization. And one of these classifications is called the spectral class. Spectral class or spectral classification is the manner of organization in astronomy that deals with classifying stars […]
Planetary Nebula
A planetary nebula is not a planet, although its name often gives that initial impression. It is actually the accumulation of gas and plasma given off by a star that is about to bade farewell to the universe. They are so named because their appearance through a small optical telescope closely resembles a giant planet. […]
Protoplanetary Disk
In astronomy, the term protoplanetary disk refers to the circumstellar disk of space matter, composing of space dust, different types of gas, specifically the types of nitrogen, hydrogen or other elemental gas. It is said that this type of astronomical marvel is the basis or essential structure for forming planetary systems, and eventually galaxies.