JOURNAL ARTICLE

Star Wars: The Chandrasekhar-Eddington Clash.

  • Published In: Sky & Telescope, 2026, v. 151, n. 4. P. 14 1 of 3

  • Database: Academic Search Ultimate 2 of 3

  • Authored By: Manuel, Ajay P. 3 of 3

Abstract

The article focuses on the scientific conflict between Indian astronomer Subrahmanyan Chandrasekhar and British astronomer Sir Arthur Eddington regarding the fate of dying stars. In the 1930s, Chandrasekhar proposed that there is a critical mass limit for white dwarfs, beyond which they would collapse under their own gravity, a conclusion that challenged Eddington's belief in the eternal stability of stars. Despite initial resistance and public criticism from Eddington, Chandrasekhar's theories eventually gained recognition, leading to his Nobel Prize in 1983 and establishing the Chandrasekhar limit as a cornerstone of modern astrophysics. The article highlights how personal egos and philosophical beliefs can influence scientific discourse and the acceptance of new ideas. [Extracted from the article]

Additional Information

  • Source:Sky & Telescope. 2026/04, Vol. 151, Issue 4, p14
  • Document Type:Article
  • Subject Area:History
  • Publication Date:2026
  • ISSN:0037-6604
  • Accession Number:191830470
  • Copyright Statement:Copyright of Sky & Telescope is the property of American Astronomical Society and its content may not be copied or emailed to multiple sites without the copyright holder's express written permission. Additionally, content may not be used with any artificial intelligence tools or machine learning technologies. However, users may print, download, or email articles for individual use. This abstract may be abridged. No warranty is given about the accuracy of the copy. Users should refer to the original published version of the material for the full abstract. (Copyright applies to all Abstracts.)

Looking to go deeper into this topic? Look for more articles on EBSCOhost.