supernova

The Brightest Gamma Ray Burst Ever Seen Came from a Collapsing Star

After a journey lasting about two billion years, photons from an extremely energetic gamma-ray burst (GRB) struck the sensors on…

2 weeks ago

This Supernova Lit Up the Sky in 1181. Here’s What it Looks Like Now

Historical astronomical records from China and Japan recorded a supernova explosion in the year 1181. It was in the constellation…

4 weeks ago

Finally, an Explanation for the “String of Pearls” in Supernova 1987A

Not long after the explosion of Supernova 1987a, astronomers were abuzz with predictions about how it might look in a…

1 month ago

This is a 1.3 Gigapixel Image of a Supernova Remnant

Stars more massive than the Sun blow themselves to pieces at the end of their life. Usually leaving behind either…

1 month ago

Finally! Webb Finds a Neutron Star from Supernova 1987A

I can remember seeing images of SN1987A as it developed back in 1987. It was the explosion of a star,…

2 months ago

Even if We Can’t See the First Stars, We Could Detect Their Impact on the First Galaxies

For a long time, our understanding of the Universe's first galaxies leaned heavily on theory. The light from that age…

2 months ago

Gravitationally Lensed Supernovae are Another Way to Measure the Expansion of the Universe

Supernova are a fascinating phenomenon and have taught us much about the evolution of stars. The upcoming Nancy Grace Roman…

3 months ago

Giant Star Seen 150 Days Before it Exploded as a Supernova

Supernovae are relatively rare. It might not seem like it, but that's because they're so bright we can see them…

3 months ago

This Galaxy Hosted One of the Most Powerful Supernovae Ever Seen

In 2010, an exceptionally luminous supernova exploded in a small galaxy about 150 million light-years away called UGC 5189A. The…

3 months ago

Black Holes and Neutron Stars are Finally Linked to Supernovae

Everybody knows that the explosive deaths of supermassive stars (called supernovae) lead to the creation of black holes or neutron…

3 months ago