Would you expect to find supernova remnants inside globular clusters? Why?

When a star undergoes a supernova explosion, it is very bright for a short time, but it also creates a “supernova remnant”, which is a bright gaseous region that usually appears ring shaped. These remnants dissipate over time, but several nearby supernova remnants are still very bright even though they were created over 1,000 years ago.

1 Answer
Jul 23, 2016

Yes, supernova remnants have been observed in globular clusters.

Explanation:

A type 1a supernova is possible in a globular cluster. Stars ins globular cluster evolve into a white dwarfs. If a white dwarf is in a close binary with a red giant or it is in the dense central region and comes close to a red giant, the white dwarf can accrete material from the red giant. If the white dwarf accretes enough material to reach the Chandrasekhar Limit of 1.4 solar masses gravity will overcome electron degeneracy pressure and the core will collapse triggering a type 1a supernova explosion.