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What is the Chandrasekhar limit for a white dwarf star?

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Open cluster NGC 290 — Star Stars in the open cluster NGC 290, as seen by the Hubble Space Telescope.

The Chandrasekhar limit is the maximum mass theoretically possible for a stable white dwarf star, established at approximately 1.44 times the mass of the Sun.12

Formulated by the astrophysicist Subrahmanyan Chandrasekhar in 1930, this limit is based on the principles of special relativity and quantum physics. It defines the point beyond which a white dwarf—which is supported against gravitational collapse by the degeneracy pressure of electrons—can no longer maintain its stability.13

If a star's mass exceeds this limit, it cannot exist as a stable white dwarf; instead, it will continue to collapse, potentially resulting in a neutron star or a black hole. In binary systems, if a white dwarf accretes enough material to push its mass above the Chandrasekhar limit, it may trigger a Type Ia supernova explosion.1243