White Dwarfs & Planetary Nebulae: Crash Course Astronomy #30

Today Phil follows up last week’s look at the death of low mass stars with what comes next: a white dwarf. White dwarfs are incredibly hot and dense objects roughly the size of Earth. They also can form planetary nebulae: huge, intricately detailed objects created when the wind blown from the dying stars is lit up by the central white dwarf. They only last a few millennia. The Sun probably won’t form one, but higher mass stars do.

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Chapters:
Introduction 00:00
White Dwarfs 1:26
Planetary Nebulae 3:59
How Do Planetary Nebulae Get Their Shape? 5:56
Structure and Color of Planetary Nebulae 8:12
Will the Sun Become a Planetary Nebula? 9:35
Review 10:16
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PHOTOS/VIDEOS

[deangoldenstar]

This is my favourite crash course series. Mainly due to Phil. I don't know, just the sheer amount of wonder and passion that he puts into this, makes appreciate this series on a whole other level than the others. Not to mention that he is talking about some of the most beautiful, powerful and eventful in... ever kinda helps.

[kaiplue]

I really love it when Phil does this ":D" face.

[selfreference]

This is definitively the best episode of Crash Course Astronomy I've seen. Thumbs up!

[iamkybaldwin]

Can't wait for next week!! You guys are AWESOME! Ky

[jacobbowman]

A few years ago, I took an intro astronomy class taught by a respected astrophysicist in the community. She was incredibly smart, but I didn’t really learn much, and the class definitely wasn’t enjoyable. If I had been taught by Phil, it would’ve been my favorite class during my undergrad thus far. He’s so passionate and fascinated by this stuff, and rightly so, because it’s absolutely INSANE. Love this series. 10/10. It makes me want to take more astronomy courses.

[FruitSlice]

Phil Plait, you're fantastic. Do this series forever, please!

[UKscalemodeller]

Please NEVER stop making these videos.

[LetsbeYannis]

Phil Plait inspired me to be an amateur astronomer.
Thanks and keep up the good work!

[inksplatter]

I love the way Phil presents this stuff. Not only does he make all the information easily digestible (with beautiful NASA photos), he also makes it relatable on our tiny, tiny level by talking about how these far-flung things in space have interacted with his own life in some way. Plus, I absolutely love all the silly faces, reactions, and truely awful jokes he puts in the episodes. Fantastic series!

[EliSantana]

Anyone else squeal like a little girl when you see there's a new CC:Astronomy video? I can't freaking wait to get to the black holes episode! You're one of my heroes Phil.

[falten]

This crash course should be required learning in every school around the world.

Phil makes it easy (somewhat) to digest and also fun to learn.

Give this man a raise :)

[Sleepy.Time.]

thank you Phil, 11 minutes packed with quality info

[AdarshKumar-njrp]

I absolutely love him. One of the best hosts on CC.

[isabellaananda]

Oh man, I love Phil. He is such an awesome teacher

[VSPG_SIVANI]

CrashCourse astronomy - Phil plait - Thumbs up!

[BintBandora]

This is mind blowing! I had never heard of that theory of the stars swallowing their planets. Awesome!

[Alumx]

I love these series :D
Never been so excited for more

[fy]

I love this series, especially because of Phil's sheer enthusiasm.

[brzdogz]

I could keep watching these videos all day long, best serie ever.

[ObeyBunny]

I'm ashamed to say how many times I backed up the video by three seconds just to watch Phil's 'pun face' at 8:11.