Are We Really All Made of Stars?

The theory that everyone and everything on Earth contains minuscule star particles dates back further
than Moby's popular 2002 song "We Are All Made of Stars."

In the early 1980s, astronomer Carl Sagan hosted and narrated a 13-part television series called
"Cosmos" that aired on PBS. On the show, Sagan thoroughly explained many science-related topics,
including Earth's history, evolution, the origin of life and the solar system.

"We are a way for the universe to know itself. Some part of our being knows this is where we came
from. We long to return. And we can, because the cosmos is also within us. We're made of star
stuff," Sagan famously stated in one episode.

His statement sums up the fact that the carbon, nitrogen and oxygen atoms in our bodies, as well as
atoms of all other heavy elements, were created in previous generations of stars over 4.5 billion
years ago. Because humans and every other animal as well as most of the matter on Earth contain
these elements, we are literally made of star stuff, said Chris Impey, professor of astronomy at the
University of Arizona.

"All organic matter containing carbon was produced originally in stars," Impey told Life's Little
Mysteries. "The universe was originally hydrogen and helium, the carbon was made subsequently,
over billions of years."

How star stuff got to Earth

When it has exhausted its supply of hydrogen, it can die in a violent explostion, called a nova. The
explosion of a massive star, called a supernova, can be billions of times as bright as the Sun ,
according to "Supernova," (World Book, Inc., 2005). Such a stellar explosion throws a large cloud of
dust and gas into space, with the amount and composition of the material expelled varying depending
on the type of supernova.

A supernova reaches its peak brightness a few days after it first occurred, during which time it may
outshine an entire galaxy of stars. The dead star then continues to shine intensely for several weeks
before gradually fading from view, according to "Supernova."

The material from a supernova eventually disperses throughout interstellar space. The oldest
stars almost exclusively consisted of hydrogen and helium, with oxygen and the rest of the heavy
elements in the universe later coming from supernova explosions, according to "Cosmic Collisions:
The Hubble Atlas of Merging Galaxies," (Springer, 2009).

"It's a well-tested theory," Impey said. "We know that stars make heavy elements, and late in their
lives, they eject gas into the medium between stars so it can be part of subsequent stars and planets
(and people)."

Cosmic connections

So, all life on Earth and the atoms in our bodies were created in the furnace of now-long-dead
stars, he said.
In 2002, music artist Moby released "We Are All Made of Stars," explaining during a press interview
that his lyrics were inspired by quantum physics. "On a basic quantum level, all the matter in the
universe is essentially made up of stardust," he said.

More recently, Symphony of Science, an artistic project headed by John Boswell and designed to
deliver scientific knowledge though musical remixes, released "We Are All Connected." The song
features clip of Sagan's "We're made of star stuff" proclamation, created into a song with software
program Auto-Tune .

NASA ARTICLE :

What Is a Supernova?

A supernova is a large explosion that takes place at the end of a star's life cycle.
Credits: NASA

On the left is Supernova 1987A after the star has exploded. On the right is the star before it exploded.
Credits: NASA

This article is part of the NASA Knows! (Grades 5-8) series.

A supernova is the explosion of a star. It is the largest explosion that takes place in
space.

Where Do Supernovas Take Place?

Supernovas are often seen in other galaxies. But supernovas are difficult to see in
our own Milky Way galaxy because dust blocks our view. In 1604, Johannes Kepler
discovered the last observed supernova in the Milky Way. NASAs Chandra telescope
discovered the

remains of a more recent supernova. It exploded in the Milky Way more than a
hundred years ago.

What Causes a Supernova?

A supernova happens where there is a change in the core, or center, of a star. A
change can occur in two different ways, with both resulting in a supernova.

The first type of supernova happens in binary star systems. Binary stars are two stars
that orbit the same point. One of the stars, a carbon-oxygen white dwarf, steals
matter from its companion star. Eventually, the white dwarf accumulates too much
matter. Having too much matter causes the star to explode, resulting in a supernova.

The second type of supernova occurs at the end of a single stars lifetime. As the star
runs out of nuclear fuel, some of its mass flows into its core. Eventually, the core is so
heavy that it cannot withstand its own gravitational force. The core collapses, which
results in the giant explosion of a supernova. The sun is a single star, but it does not
have enough mass to become a supernova.

Why Do Scientists Study Supernovas?

A supernova burns for only a short period of time, but it can tell scientists a lot about
the universe.

One kind of supernova has shown scientists that we live in an expanding universe,
one that is growing at an ever increasing rate.

Scientists also have determined that supernovas play a key role in distributing
elements throughout the universe. When the star explodes, it shoots elements and
debris into space. Many of the elements we find here on Earth are made in the core
of stars. These elements travel on to form new stars, planets and everything else in
the universe.

How Do NASA Scientists Look for Supernovas?

NASA scientists use different types of telescopes to look for and study supernovas.
Some telescopes are used to observe the visible light from the explosion. Others
record data from the X-rays and gamma rays that are also produced. Both NASAs
Hubble Space Telescope and Chandra X-ray Observatory have captured images of
supernovas.
In June 2012, NASA launched the first orbiting telescope that focuses light in the
high-energy region of the electromagnetic spectrum. The NuSTAR mission has a
number of jobs to do. It will look for collapsed stars and black holes. It also will search
for the remains of supernovas. Scientists hope to learn more about how stars explode
and the elements that are created by supernovas.

What Can You Do to Help?

You do not have to be a scientist, or even have a telescope, to hunt for supernovas.
For example, in 2008 a teenager discovered a supernova. Then in January 2011, a
10-year-old girl from Canada discovered a supernova while looking at night sky
images on her computer. The images, taken by an amateur astronomer, just
happened to include a supernova.

With some practice and the right equipment, you could find the next supernova!

Words to Know

white dwarf: a star near the end of its life that has used most or all of its nuclear fuel
and collapsed into a size similar to Earth

x-ray: a type of electromagnetic radiation with a very short wavelength and very high-
energy. X-rays have shorter wavelengths than ultraviolet light but longer wavelengths
than gamma rays

gamma ray: the highest-energy, shortest-wavelength electromagnetic radiations

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----------- What Is a Black Hole?//nasa

The black hole named Cygnus X-1 formed when a large star caved in. This black hole pulls matter from the blue star beside it.
Credits: NASA/CXC/M.Weiss
An artist's drawing shows the current view of the Milky Way galaxy. Scientific evidence shows that in the center of the Milky Way is a supermassive
black hole.
Credits: NASA/JPL-Caltech

This image of Sagittarius A in the center of the Milky Way galaxy was taken by the Chandra X-ray Observatory.
Credits: NASA/CXC/MIT/F.K. Baganoff et al.
Sagittarius A* is the black hole at the center of the Milky Way galaxy.
Credits: NASA/UMass/D.Wang et al., IR: NASA/STScI

This article is part of the NASA Knows! (Grades 5-8) series.

A black hole is a region in space where the pulling force of gravity is so strong that
light is not able to escape. The strong gravity occurs because matter has been
pressed into a tiny space. This compression can take place at the end of a star's life.
Some black holes are a result of dying stars.

Because no light can escape, black holes are invisible. However, space telescopes
with special instruments can help find black holes. They can observe the behavior of
material and stars that are very close to black holes.

How Big Are Black Holes?

Black holes can come in a range of sizes, but there are three main types of black
holes. The black hole's mass and size determine what kind it is.

The smallest ones are known as primordial black holes. Scientists believe this type of
black hole is as small as a single atom but with the mass of a large mountain.

The most common type of medium-sized black holes is called "stellar." The mass of a
stellar black hole can be up to 20 times greater than the mass of the sun and can fit
inside a ball with a diameter of about 10 miles. Dozens of stellar mass black holes
may exist within the Milky Way galaxy.
The largest black holes are called "supermassive." These black holes have masses
greater than 1 million suns combined and would fit inside a ball with a diameter about
the size of the solar system. Scientific evidence suggests that every large galaxy
contains a supermassive black hole at its center. The supermassive black hole at the
center of the Milky Way galaxy is called Sagittarius A. It has a mass equal to about 4
million suns and would fit inside a ball with a diameter about the size of the sun.

How Do Black Holes Form?

Primordial black holes are thought to have formed in the early universe, soon after
the big bang.

Stellar black holes form when the center of a very massive star collapses in upon
itself. This collapse also causes a supernova, or an exploding star, that blasts part of
the star into space.

Scientists think supermassive black holes formed at the same time as the galaxy they
are in. The size of the supermassive black hole is related to the size and mass of the
galaxy it is in.

If Black Holes Are "Black," How Do Scientists Know They Are There?
A black hole can not be seen because of the strong gravity that is pulling all of the
light into the black hole's center. However, scientists can see the effects of its strong
gravity on the stars and gases around it. If a star is orbiting a certain point in space,
scientists can study the star's motion to find out if it is orbiting a black hole.

When a black hole and a star are orbiting close together, high-energy light is
produced. Scientific instruments can see this high-energy light.

A black hole's gravity can sometimes be strong enough to pull off the outer gases of
the star and grow a disk around itself called the accretion disk. As gas from the
accretion disk spirals into the black hole, the gas heats to very high temperatures and
releases X-ray light in all directions. NASA telescopes measure the X-ray light.
Astronomers use this information to learn more about the properties of a black hole.

Could a Black Hole Destroy Earth?

Black holes do not wander around the universe, randomly swallowing worlds. They
follow the laws of gravity just like other objects in space. The orbit of a black hole
would have to be very close to the solar system to affect Earth, which is not likely.

If a black hole with the same mass as the sun were to replace the sun, Earth would
not fall in. The black hole with the same mass as the sun would keep the same
gravity as the sun. The planets would still orbit the black hole as they orbit the sun
now.

Will the Sun Ever Turn Into a Black Hole?

The sun does not have enough mass to collapse into a black hole. In billions of years,
when the sun is at the end of its life, it will become a red giant star. Then, when it
has used the last of its fuel, it will throw off its outer layers and turn into a glowing ring
of gas called a planetary nebula. Finally, all that will be left of the sun is a
cooling white dwarf star.

How Is NASA Studying Black Holes?

NASA is learning about black holes using spacecraft like the Chandra X-ray
Observatory, the Swift satellite and the Fermi Gamma-ray Space Telescope. Fermi
launched in 2008 and is observing gamma rays - the most energetic form of light - in
search of supermassive black holes and other astronomical phenomena. Spacecraft
like these help scientists answer questions about the origin, evolution and destiny of
the universe.

Words to Know

mass: the measurement for the amount of matter in an object

red giant star: a star that is larger than the sun and red because it has a lower
temperature

white dwarf star: a small star, about the size of Earth; one of the last stages of a
star's life