If We Saw A Black Dwarf, What Would It Look Like?

[not_Fritz_Argelander]

What would a black dwarf be made out of?

It depends upon its history. The outermost layer could be a mix of hydrogen and helium with a smattering of heavier elements like the Sun. Inside that there would be a helium layer (smattering of heavies) and possibly inside that carbon (smattering again) core for most of them. So a surface layer mostly hydrogen with a helium layer or core underneath. If sufficiently massive there would be a carbon core not helium.

Since black dwarfs are just very old white dwarfs the composition of white dwarfs applies:
https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/White_..._and_structure

[Bigzmey]

What would a black dwarf be made out of?

Black cats, minus claws, etc.

[Wispy]

It depends upon its history. The outermost layer could be a mix of hydrogen and helium with a smattering of heavier elements like the Sun. Inside that there would be a helium layer (smattering of heavies) and possibly inside that carbon (smattering again) core for most of them. So a surface layer mostly hydrogen with a helium layer or core underneath. If sufficiently massive there would be a carbon core not helium.

Since black dwarfs are just very old white dwarfs the composition of white dwarfs applies:
https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/White_..._and_structure

Interesting