New Supernova Remnant Lights Up
Using the Hubble Space Telescope, astronomers
are witnessing the unprecedented transition of
a supernova to a supernova remnant, where
light from an exploding star in a neighboring
galaxy, the Large Magellanic Cloud, reached
Earth in February 1987. Named Supernova
1987A, it was the closest supernova explosion
witnessed in almost 400 years. The supernova's
close proximity to Earth allows astronomers to
study it in detail as it evolves. Now, the super-
nova debris, which has faded over the years, is
brightening. This means that a different power
source has begun to light the debris. The debris
of SN 1987A is beginning to impact the surround-
ing ring, creating powerful shock waves that
generate X-rays observed with NASA's Chandra
X-ray Observatory. Those X-rays are illuminating
the supernova debris and shock heating is making
it glow in visible light. Since its launch in 1990,
the Hubble telescope has provided a continuous
record of the changes in SN 1987A.
are witnessing the unprecedented transition of
a supernova to a supernova remnant, where
light from an exploding star in a neighboring
galaxy, the Large Magellanic Cloud, reached
Earth in February 1987. Named Supernova
1987A, it was the closest supernova explosion
witnessed in almost 400 years. The supernova's
close proximity to Earth allows astronomers to
study it in detail as it evolves. Now, the super-
nova debris, which has faded over the years, is
brightening. This means that a different power
source has begun to light the debris. The debris
of SN 1987A is beginning to impact the surround-
ing ring, creating powerful shock waves that
generate X-rays observed with NASA's Chandra
X-ray Observatory. Those X-rays are illuminating
the supernova debris and shock heating is making
it glow in visible light. Since its launch in 1990,
the Hubble telescope has provided a continuous
record of the changes in SN 1987A.
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