What unique shape did the supernova explosion take?

The supernova explosion distorted the dying star into an olive-like shape, rather than blowing it apart in a spherical shape.

What does the supernova explosion reveal about the death of massive stars?

The unique geometry of the supernova explosion provides fundamental insights into the physical processes behind the violent deaths of massive stars, which are still not fully understood by scientists.

Home / Science / Astronomers Witness Rare Supernova Explosion in Unprecedented Detail

Astronomers Witness Rare Supernova Explosion in Unprecedented Detail

Q: How soon after the initial detection were astronomers able to observe the supernova?

Astronomers were able to observe the supernova just 26 hours after the initial detection, capturing the early stages of the cataclysmic event.

13 Nov

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Summary

Supernova explosion observed just 26 hours after initial detection
Explosion distorted star into olive-like shape, not spherical
Explosion provides clues about the death of massive stars

Astronomers Witness Rare Supernova Explosion in Unprecedented Detail

On April 10, 2024, astronomers detected the explosive death of a massive star in a galaxy 22 million light-years away. Using the European Southern Observatory's Very Large Telescope in Chile, they were able to observe the supernova just 26 hours after the initial detection, capturing the early stages of the cataclysmic event.

What they saw was a star roughly 15 times the mass of our sun surrounded by a preexisting disk of gas and dust. As the explosion pushed material outward from the star's core, it distorted the star's shape into a vertical-standing olive, rather than blowing it apart in a spherical shape. This unique geometry offers fundamental insights into the physical processes behind supernova explosions, which are still not fully understood by scientists.