How Chandrasekhar's 1.4 Solar Mass Limit Became a Cornerstone of Modern Astronomy

Subrahmanyan Chandrasekhar calculated that a star exceeding 1.4 solar masses cannot end its life as a white dwarf — it must collapse into a neutron star or black hole. Arthur Eddington long rejected the theory, insisting such objects couldn't exist. Chandrasekhar was ultimately vindicated: collapsing stars proved to be common, and he received the Nobel Prize in 1983, more than 50 years after his original discovery.

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