Subrahmanyan Chandrasekhar
Astrophysicist who explained how stars live and die.
Their Story
Subrahmanyan Chandrasekhar was an astrophysicist who immigrated to the United States from India. He calculated a limit on how massive a dying star can be before it collapses, now called the Chandrasekhar limit. His work helped explain white dwarfs, neutron stars, and black holes.
Era
1900s
Field
Astrophysics
Subrahmanyan Chandrasekhar
Astrophysicist who explained how stars live and die.
Science · Astrophysics · 1900s · Asian American Heritage, Immigrant Innovators
Their Story
Subrahmanyan Chandrasekhar was an astrophysicist who immigrated to the United States from India. He calculated a limit on how massive a dying star can be before it collapses, now called the Chandrasekhar limit. His work helped explain white dwarfs, neutron stars, and black holes.
Key Innovation
Discovered the mass limit that determines how stars end their lives.
Why It Matters Today
His calculations help astronomers understand the life cycle of stars and the formation of black holes.
Learn More
- Wikipedia: https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Subrahmanyan_Chandrasekhar
Wilkinson STEM Education Foundation · 251 American Innovators · wilkinsonstemfoundation.org
