Rare Glimpse into Dying Star's Explosive Demise Sheds Light on Stellar Evolution

In a groundbreaking discovery, scientists have, for the first time, observed the insides of a dying star as it exploded in a supernova. The event, which occurred in our Milky Way galaxy, has provided researchers with a rare peek into the inner workings of stellar evolution.

Typically, the cosmic outbursts of supernovas tend to jumble up a dying star's layers, making it difficult for scientists to observe the star's internal structure. However, the supernova known as 2021yfj was different. The collapsing star's outermost layers of hydrogen and helium had peeled away long ago, which was not surprising. But the researchers were astonished to find that the star's dense, innermost layers of silicon and sulfur had also shed during the explosion.

"We have never observed a star that was stripped to this amount," said Steve Schulze, a member of the discovery team from Northwestern University. This finding lends evidence to scientists' ideas about how large stars look near the end of their lives, with lighter elements on the outside and heavier ones close to the core.

The discovery offers a rare glimpse into the final stages of a star's life cycle, shedding light on the complex processes that lead to these dramatic cosmic events.