Transcript Planetary Nebula

Harry Kroto 2004
Low Mass Stars
If a Star has a mass of less then 4
stellar masses, then the Star will
become a Red Giant when it has used
most of its Hydrogen in the process of
nuclear fusion.
This Red Giant will lose its mass by gently
ejecting its outer layers to form a Planetary
Nebula.
There are between 20,000 and 50,000
Planetary Nebulae in our Galaxy alone. At
the centre of a Planetary Nebula is a White
Dwarf Star.
A White Dwarf is about the same size as the
Earth, but a mass up to 1.4 stellar masses
(this is called the Chandrasekhar limit) if the
mass is above this the star will have a high
enough energy to restart nuclear fusion.
Planetary Nebula – a star that has
blown off its gas and dust shell
Harry Kroto 2004
Harry Kroto 2004
Birth of the Sun 5000 000 000 yrs ago
Harry Kroto 2004
Harry Kroto 2004
Now here after 5000 000 000 yrs
Harry Kroto 2004
Harry Kroto 2004
One day the world will blow up into a Red Giant
Harry Kroto 2004
In 5000 000 000 yrs!
Harry Kroto 2004
In and then collapse and slowly die
away as a white dwarf
Harry Kroto 2004
Harry Kroto 2004
Queen Magazine
Harry Kroto 2004
Low Mass StarsIf a Star has a mass of less then 4 stellar
masses, then the Star will become a Red Giant when it
has used most of its Hydrogen in the process of nuclear
fusion. This Red Giant will lose its mass by gently
ejecting its outer layers to form a Planetary Nebula.
There are between 20,000 and 50,000 Planetary Nebulae
A red giant star with an infra red partner (Mike Jura UCLA)
Harry Kroto 2004
The main processes in
the Sun
Harry Kroto 2004
Queen Magazine
Harry Kroto 2004