Sounds of Star Death Near Middle C

Computer-generated image of a star 25 times as massive as the sun as it explodes as a supernova. Explosions are probably driven by sound waves, researchers have discovered. This figure shows the accretion funnels still streaming onto the inner core (purple dot). It is these accretion streams that continue to excite the core oscillation that generates the acoustic power that eventually explodes the star in these simulations. Green is high entropy and brown is low entropy material.(Graphic: Courtesy of Adam Burrows, UA)