An Etymological Dictionary of Astronomy and Astrophysics

A limiting mass of about 1.44 Solar masses that the theory predicts a non-rotating → white dwarf can attain without collapsing to become a → neutron star or a → black hole. Over this → critical mass, the degeneracy pressure will be unable to bear the load of the bulk mass.

Etymology (EN): Named after Subrahmayan Chandrasekhar (1910-1995), Indian-born American astrophysicist who, with William A. Fowler, won the 1983 Nobel Prize for Physics for his research on white dwarfs; → limit.