shock waves
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What Are Spiral Arms?
Probably the most spectacular feature of our Milky Way galaxy is its spiral arms. We can’t get a probe far enough out yet to take a galactic selfie, but astronomers are reasonably sure that we live in a spiral galaxy.…
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How Massive Stars Die
When people think of star death, they most often think of supernovae (plural for supernova). So why haven’t I spent the past bunch of posts on star death talking about them? Because supernovae are not actually the most common fate…
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What is Contagious Star Formation?
Recognize this nebula? Yeah…we’re talking about the Orion Nebula again. I know, we already took a tour through the Orion constellation in my last post…but there’s still more to cover about how stars come to life, and Orion is still the…
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How are Stars Born?
Astronomers have discovered that the clouds of gas and dust — the interstellar medium (ISM) — found between the stars are made of the same materials as the stars themselves. In fact, hydrogen is the most common element in both…
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Where Did the Interstellar Medium Come From?
Contrary to popular belief, space is not empty. The space between the stars is filled with clouds of dust and gas. And this space — the interstellar medium — is incredibly beautiful and fascinating. I often refer to the interstellar…
