Collapse of a massive star. Artwork (image 4 of 7) showing a the collapse of a Wolf-Rayet star (a stage in the evolution of a very massive star). The core of the Wolf-Rayet star has collapsed, forming a black hole surrounded by a disk of accreting matter (blue). Within a few seconds, jets of matter (white) are ejected at near the speed of light. The jets, in conjunction with vigorous winds of radioactive nickel-56 blowing off the disk inside, shatter the star within seconds, creating a supernova event and generating a gamma-ray burst. Observations of a very energetic supernova, associated with a long gamma-ray burst (GRB 030329) in the constellation Leo on 29 March 2003, provide evidence for this collapsar model of the origin of some gamma-ray bursts. | |
Lizenzart: | Lizenzpflichtig |
Credit: | Science Photo Library / SkyWorks Digital / NASA |
Bildgröße: | 3599 px × 2429 px |
Modell-Rechte: | nicht erforderlich |
Eigentums-Rechte: | nicht erforderlich |
Restrictions: | - |