Supernova

Supernova Latest News

According to a study led by Indian researchers, observations of a supernova discovered in a galaxy about 90.7 million light-years from Earth could help astronomers improve measurements of distances in the nearby universe.

About Supernova

• A supernova is the name given to the cataclysmic explosion of a massive star.
• Supernovae (SNe) are one of the most violent explosions in the universe.
• It can emit more energy in a few seconds than our sun will radiate in its lifetime of billions of years.
• These spectacular events can be so bright that they outshine their entire galaxies for a few days or even months. 
• They’re also the primary source of heavy elements in the universe.

‹ ›

Types of Supernova

• Core-collapse supernovae (CCSNe)
  • These are one of these cosmic fireworks occurring when a massive star exhausts its nuclear fuel and can no longer support itself against the gravitational pull. 
  • The most common type of core-collapse supernova is Type IIP, which happens when a massive red supergiant star (about 8–17 times the mass of the Sun) reaches the end of its life.
  • Process: When the star’s core collapses into a proto-neutron star, the outer material falls inward, then bounces back from the surface, creating a powerful shock wave.
  • When the shock reaches the surface, the star’s outer layers break away and expand into space.
• Thermal runaway supernova
  • It can occur when two stars orbit each other, and one or both of those stars is a white dwarf.
  • If the stars in one of these binary systems collide, or if one of the white dwarfs absorbs enough matter from the other star, the white dwarf can become a supernova.

Source: PIB