What is the likely outcome for stars exceeding 25 to 30 solar masses during core collapse?
Answer
Direct collapse leading to a black hole, bypassing supernova
Stars that begin their lives with extremely large initial masses, typically exceeding 25 or perhaps 30 solar masses, face a fate where gravity is simply too powerful to overcome, even by the pressure of degenerate neutron matter. In these most massive cases, the core collapse proceeds without generating a successful, visible supernova rebound shockwave. Instead, the core continues its inexorable shrinkage past the neutron star density threshold, collapsing completely to form a singularity surrounded by an event horizon—a black hole. Although some material might escape or neutrino bursts occur, the characteristic bright, visible supernova event is often absent.
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