Episode 104: Star Destroyers

That stars die will be old news for most listeners. But sometimes, stars don’t just die, they get ripped apart by supermassive black holes. Cormac, Cole and Lucia discuss these so-called tidal disruption events. Specifically, how these events are connected to X-ray absorption features called extreme coronal lines. The hosts also take a look at one of the true superstars of supernova remnants: the Crab Nebula. As it turns out, studying the ejecta can give clues about the pulsar at the heart of the nebula. The discussion revolves around the every-day of doing science. Spoiler: it’s not all like solving exercise sheets. A New Look at Our Old Friend, the Crab Nebula https://astrobites.org/2025/03/16/new-look-at-crab/ Exploring the remains of a destroyed (death) star https://astrobites.org/2025/03/08/exploring-the-remains-of-a-destroyed-death-star/  Space Sound: https://youtu.be/aG300vtQ1es