Abstract Supernovae are considered the most spectacular and powerful explosions in the universe, and they occur at the end of a star’s lifetime. They are divided into two main classes, Type I and II, and can be caused by either a core-collapse or thermal runaway. Supernovae play a vital role in the universe by creating …
Introduction The early universe was vastly different from the one we know today. The big bang left the universe in a state of relative simplicity. Our observations of the cosmic microwave background tell us that after the big bang, the infant universe was rather uneventful, compared to the present. Clearly, something changed. Our observations of …
Abstract Stars are often described in terms of their colour. Sentences like “Betelguese is a Red Supergiant” and “The Sun is a Yellow Dwarf” paint an image, but there is also a great deal of physics behind them. Stars emit light in a way similar to black bodies. The wavelength of electromagnetic radiation that a …
