Birth of a Supernova Type 1a
Page 2 of 6 | Next page
Most of the heat that a star generates comes about through nuclear reactions in
its core. The reactions are triggered when the high pressure and temperature
within the star cause hydrogen atoms to fuse together to form helium atoms.
When a star this size runs out of hydrogen, its core begins to contract and its
outer layers expand. The star becomes a red giant.
