Astroblaster with Safety Glasses The science nerds call it a Multiple Collision Accelerator email to friend
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The science nerds call it a "Multiple Collision Accelerator" we just know that any toy that comes with safety glasses has to be awesome! You don't want the flying red ball to hit you in the eye (according to Mom).

It's a great way to demonstrate the amazing kinetic power of a supernova. Just hold the tip of the AstroBlaster™ away from your body and let go. When the AstroBlaster™ hits the ground, the red ball literally blasts off. Ages 8 and up (but Dad will be playing with it all of the time).

How does it work?

The famous astrophysicist, Dr. Stirling Colgate, created the AstroBlaster' to demonstrate the awesome kinetic power of a supernova. AstroBlaster' illustrates the laws of conservation of momentum and energy during the creation of a supernova (an old star, that having exhausted its nuclear fuel, collapses upon itself in less than a second).

A shock wave speeds outward from the center through the collapsed material, moving faster and faster as it reaches less dense layers toward the surface. The shock wave accelerates an outermost thin layer of the collapsed star to relativistic speeds, creating 'cosmic rays' that spread throughout the galaxy.

The gravitational collapse of the dying star is illustrated by the AstroBlaster' falling to the surface. The shock wave accelerating outward through the star is illustrated by a wave of increasing speed as the result of the impact which is felt by the lighter balls nearer the top. The supernova explosion and release of cosmic rays is illustrated by the rapid departure of the top ball at high speed.