Luna Learns Things

20/10/20

Supernova

A supernova is a powerful and luminous stellar explosion. This transient astronomical event occurs during the last evolutionary stages of a massive star or when a white dwarf is triggered into runaway nuclear fusion.

One type of supernova is caused by the "last hurrah" of a dying massive star. This happens when a star at least five times the mass of our sun goes out with a fantastic bang! Massive stars burn huge amounts of nuclear fuel at their cores, or centers. This produces tons of energy, so the center gets very hot.

A supernova is a star explosion – destructive on a scale almost beyond human imagining. If our sun exploded as a supernova, the resulting shock wave probably wouldn't destroy the whole Earth, but the side of Earth facing the sun would boil away. ... Clearly, the sun's distance – 8 light-minutes away – isn't safe.

Having too much matter causes the star to explode, resulting in a supernova. ... As the star runs out of nuclear fuel, some of its mass flows into its core. Eventually, the core is so heavy that it cannot withstand its own gravitational force. The core collapses, which results in the giant explosion of a supernova.

While the new supernova is not visible to the naked eye, it is visible in telescopes, weather permitting. It may also be visible through a good set of binoculars. Here's how to find the new supernova in galaxy M82, which has now been catalogued as supernova 2014J.