Stanford Earl Woosley (born December 8, 1944) is a physicist, and Professor of Astronomy and Astrophysics.
Stan Woosley's research centers on theoretical high-energy astrophysics, especially violent explosive events such as supernovae and gamma ray bursts.
The resulting explosion can be as bright as an entire galaxy, releasing immense amounts of energy.
Woosley's research projects include simulating the evolution of stars 8 to 50 times the mass of the sun, in an attempt to explain how elements like oxygen and iron are formed.
According to Woosley's collapsar model, gamma-ray bursts arise from the collapse of stars that are too massive to successfully explode as supernovae.