Stellar Evolution Vocab Flashcard

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Neutron Star

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A celestial object with a small radius and very high density, composed mostly of neutrons, formed by the gravitational collapse of the remnant of a massive star after a supernova explosion.

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Binary Star System

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A system of two stars that orbit a common center of mass.

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Pulsar

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A rapidly rotating neutron star that emits regular pulses of radio waves and other electromagnetic radiation at rates of up to one thousand pulses per second.

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White Dwarf

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A star that has exhausted all its central nuclear fuel and lost its outer layers, often formed from a low-mass star as a planetary nebula decays.

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Supernova

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A star that suddenly increases greatly in brightness due to a catastrophic explosion that ejects most of its mass.

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Red Giant

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A late stage in the life cycle of a star, characterized by a large radius and a reddish color, occurring after a star has exhausted its hydrogen fuel.

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Planetary Nebula

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A ring-shaped nebula formed by the expansion of gas from a red giant star at the end of its life cycle.

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Black Hole

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A region of space having a gravitational field so intense that no matter or radiation can escape from it, formed from the remnants of a massive star after a supernova.

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Stellar Nucleosynthesis

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The process by which elements are formed through nuclear fusion in the cores of stars.

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Main Sequence Star

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A star that is in the stable phase of its life cycle, fusing hydrogen into helium in its core.