Discovery Centre Resources

Topic > Beyond the Solar System
Beyond the Solar System 11 Results
Black Holes A black hole is a region in space where gravity is so strong that nothing, not even light, can escape. Black Holes: Journey into the Unknown This InfoSheet was produced to accompany the Melbourne Planetarium show Black Holes: Journey to the Unknown. It answers many fascinating questions about the extreme world of black holes. Galaxies A galaxy is an island of stars, gas and dust, floating in space. Glossary of Astronomical Terms A glossary explaining the terms Altitude, Azimuth, Constellation, Elevation, Galaxy, Light-year, Meridian, Transit, Twilight and Zenith. Star Birth The process of star birth begins with a nearby explosion (most likely the death of a massive star in a supernova), that sends ripples through the gas cloud. Star Death How a star dies depends upon its mass. Moderate stars eventually form spectacular planetary nebulae, whereas massive stars live fast, die young and explode as violent supernovae. Star Life The majority of a star's life is spent converting hydrogen into helium. Hot stars, which are generally young, are blue while cool stars, which are generally old, are red. Stars When we look up on a clear night we see a host of stars above us. They look like tiny points of light but stars are actually giant balls of glowing gas. Stellar Black Holes Stellar black holes are located throughout our Galaxy. They are formed when a massive star explodes as a supernova. Supermassive Black Holes Supermassive black holes are found at the centres of galaxies. They have masses around a 100 million times the mass of the Sun and it is currently unknown how these objects form.
  12  Next >