Astrophysical object
White Dwarf
Cosmology & UniverseEstablished Science
Definition
The dense, Earth-sized remnant left when a low- or medium-mass star sheds its outer layers.
Scientific overview
A white dwarf is the exposed core of a star like the Sun, supported against gravity by electron degeneracy pressure. Above the Chandrasekhar limit (about 1.4 solar masses) it cannot survive — a fact that makes exploding white dwarfs (Type Ia supernovae) the standard candles used to discover dark energy.
Measurements
| Maximum mass (Chandrasekhar limit) | ≈ 1.4 M☉ | NASA |
Related scientists
Related topics
Knowledge connections
- Related toDark Energy
- Related toNeutron Star
- Studied bySubrahmanyan Chandrasekhar
- Associated withPlanetary-Nebula Ejection
- Associated withElectron Degeneracy Pressure
- Associated withPlanetary Nebula
Sources & references
The primary and reference sources this topic draws on.
- NASANational Aeronautics and Space Administration
Mission data, planetary science, space telescopes, and public-domain imagery.
Most NASA-produced imagery is in the public domain; individual items are checked for usage terms before publication.