Supernova

:For information about the 2000 movie, see Supernova (movie).

Role of supernovae in stellar evolution

Supernovae tend to enrich the surrounding interstellar medium with metals (for astronomers, metals are all the elements after helium). Thus, each stellar generation has a slightly different composition, going from an almost pure mixture of hydrogen and helium to a more metal-rich composition. The different chemical abundances have important influences on the star's life, and may decisively influence the possibility of having planets orbiting it.

Related Topics:
Helium - Hydrogen - Planet

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