[LibWhacker]

Yep, I was wondering the same thing. Plus, IIRC, and there is a distinct possibility I don't remember correctly, it's been so long ago, a supernova always produces a black hole, never a neutron star. Do I have that right?

Probably not. I'm sure Manuel wouldn't make that kind of mistake.

[battousai]

"I don't remember correctly, it's been so long ago, a supernova always produces a black hole, never a neutron star. Do I have that right? "

It depends on the size of the original star I believe, its only the supergiants that have enough matter to colapse into neutron stars or black holes. So no not every supernova results in a blackhole. I'm not sure what the percentages would be though, I think its only a low percentile that do.

[RadioAstronomer]

Yep, I was wondering the same thing. Plus, IIRC, and there is a distinct possibility I don't remember correctly, it's been so long ago, a supernova always produces a black hole, never a neutron star. Do I have that right?

Nope. Neutron Stars can be created in a supernova. The Crab Nebula is a prime example. BTW, as far as I know, it is the only pulsar that can be detected with an ordinary TV set using just rabbit ears.

[longshadow]

a supernova always produces a black hole, never a neutron star. Do I have that right?

It depends entirely on the mass of the residual material after the star goes supernova. Last I new, you get a neutron star when the residual mass is between 1.4 and about 4.1 solar masses. Above 4.1 solar masses, the gravitational collapse is unstoppable, and a black hole results.