Core-collapse Supernova
The explosive death of a massive star when its core implodes under gravity, rebounding to eject the outer layers and leaving a neutron star or black hole behind.
A core-collapse supernova is the catastrophic explosion of a massive star (typically over 8 solar masses) when its iron core can no longer support itself against gravity, leading to a rapid implosion followed by a rebound shock that ejects the star's outer layers. This process forms neutron stars or black holes and is distinct from thermonuclear explosions of white dwarfs.
What this means in real life
When a massive star exhausts its fuel, its core collapses like a building imploding—then rebounds explosively, scattering elements across space that eventually form new planets and stars.
What it isn’t
Not a thermonuclear explosion of an entire star. Core-collapse supernovae involve the implosion and rebound of a dense core, not the runaway fusion of a white dwarf accreting material from a companion.
Commonly misused online
Often conflated with 'supernova' generally; social media rarely distinguishes core-collapse from Type Ia (white dwarf) supernovae, treating all stellar explosions as interchangeable.