Episode 674: A Massive Star Just Disappeared. No Supernova, Just Straight to Black Hole
When the largest stars die, it’s usually pretty obvious. Supernovae are visible from billions of light-years away. But recently astronomers watched a massive star just disappear. No explosion, nothing, it just… vanished?
Of course, it could have been dust. It’s always dust. But one intriguing possibility is that the star just imploded directly into a black hole, without the supernova detonation. And if that’s the case, is this happening more often, we just didn’t notice it?
Want to see this video early? Join our community at https://www.patreon.com/universetoday
Our Book is out!
https://www.amazon.com/Universe-Today-Ultimate-Viewing-Cosmos/dp/1624145442/
Audio Podcast version:
ITunes: https://itunes.apple.com/us/podcast/universe-today-guide-to-space-audio/id794058155?mt=2
RSS: https://www.universetoday.com/audio
Weekly email newsletter:
https://www.universetoday.com/newsletter
Weekly Space Hangout:
https://www.youtube.com/channel/UC0-KklSGlCiJDwOPdR2EUcg/
Astronomy Cast:
https://www.youtube.com/channel/UCUHI67dh9jEO2rvK--MdCSg
Support us at https://www.patreon.com/universetoday
More stories at https://www.universetoday.com/
Twitch: https://twitch.tv/fcain
Twitter: https://twitter.com/universetoday
Facebook: https://www.facebook.com/universetoday
Instagram - https://instagram.com/universetoday
Team: Fraser Cain - @fcain / [email protected]
Karla Thompson - @karlaii / https://www.youtube.com/channel/UCEItkORQYd4Wf0TpgYI_1fw
Chad Weber - [email protected]
References:
https://www.eso.org/public/archives/releases/sciencepapers/eso2010/eso2010a.pdf
https://www.forbes.com/sites/startswithabang/2017/09/05/the-suns-energy-doesnt-come-from-fusing-hydrogen-into-helium-mostly/#456b5d0670f9
https://www.eso.org/public/usa/news/eso2010/
https://www.nasa.gov/feature/goddard/2017/collapsing-star-gives-birth-to-a-black-hole
https://www.forbes.com/sites/startswithabang/2017/12/26/direct-collapse-black-holes-may-explain-our-universes-mysterious-quasars/#1575aa7b71f0
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=OEZu3pXAFWY