| black hole | A region of space from which no matter or radiation can escape. A black hole is a result of the extreme curvature of space by a massive compact body.
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| Chandrasekhar limit | The maximum mass, about 1.4 solar masses, that a white dwarf star can have.
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| event horizon | The boundary of a black hole. No matter or radiation can escape from within the event horizon.
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| geodesic | The path in spacetime followed by a light beam or a freely moving object.
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| gravitational redshift | The increase in the wavelength of electromagnetic radiation that occurs when the radiation travels outward through the gravitational field of a body.
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| magnetar | A highly magnetized neutron star that emits bursts of gamma rays.
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| neutron star | A star composed primarily of neutrons and supported by the degenerate pressure of the neutrons.
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| neutronization | A process by which, during the collapse of the core of a star, protons and electrons are forced together to make neutrons.
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| pulsar | A rotating neutron star with beams of radiation emerging from its magnetic poles. When the beams sweep past the Earth, we see "pulses" of radiation.
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| Schwarzschild radius | The radius of the event horizon of a blackhole.
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| spacelike trip | A path in spacetime that would require motion at a speed faster than the speed of light.
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| spacetime | The combination of three spatial coordinates and one time coordinate that we use to locate an event.
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| spacetime diagram | A diagram showing one spatial coordinate against time, in which the paths of bodies and beams of light can be plotted.
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| supernova | An explosion in which a star’s brightness temporarily increasesby as much as 1 billion times. Type I supernovae are caused by the rapid fusion of carbon and oxygen within a white dwarf. Type II supernovae are produced by the collapse of the core of a star.
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| supernova remnant | The luminous, expanding region of gas driven outward by a supernova explosion.
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| synchrotron emission | Electromagnetic radiation, usually observed in the radio region of the spectrum, produced by energetic electrons spiraling about magnetic field lines.
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| timelike trip | A path in spacetime that can be followed by a body moving slower than the speed of light.
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| type II supernova | An extremely energetic explosion that occurs when the core of a massive star collapses, probably producing a neutron star or black hole.
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| white dwarf | A small, dense star that is supported against gravity by the degenerate pressure of its electrons.
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