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Max Planck Institute for Astrophysics

Research institute of the Max Planck Society, dedicated to astrophysical subjects such as the evolution of stars, the physics of supernovae, the evolution of galaxies and cosmology. Founded in 1958 in Germany, located in Garching, near Munich.

MPA website

Definitioner

stars (star)

A cosmic gas ball that is massive enough for pressure and temperatur in its core to reach values where self-sustained nuclear fusion reactions set in. The energy set free in these reactions makes stars into very bright sources of light and other forms of electromagnetic radiation. Once the nuclear fuel is exhausted, the star becomes a white dwarf, a neutron star or a black hole.

cosmology

That branch of physics and astronomy dealing with the structure and development of the universe as a whole. At the core of modern cosmology are the big bang models based on Einstein's general theory of relativity. Their basic features are reviewed in the chapter Cosmology of Elementary Einstein. In order to describe the very early universe, it will be necessary to take the effects of quantum gravity into account - this gives rise to models of quantum cosmology.

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Max Planck Institute for Astrophysics

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