If a progenitor star was among the most massive (exceeding 20 to 25 solar masses), what remnant forms after the supernova explosion?
Answer
A black hole.
The ultimate fate of a star that has undergone the red supergiant phase is determined by the initial mass of that progenitor star. While moderately massive stars that collapse might leave behind an incredibly dense neutron star—a city-sized sphere of neutrons—the very largest stars overcome even the neutron degeneracy pressure. If the initial mass exceeded approximately 20 to 25 solar masses, the subsequent core collapse results in the formation of a singularity, an object possessing gravity so intense that nothing, including light, can escape: a black hole.
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