The Closest Supernova in a Decade: What We Learned From Our Stellar Neighbor
Recently, scientists discovered the closest supernova to Earth in nearly a decade! This stellar explosion, located in the Whirlpool Galaxy (also known as Messier 51), was the closest supernova since SN 2011fe, which occurred in 2011. The new supernova, dubbed SN 2020ue, was discovered by Japanese amateur astronomer Koichi Itagaki, and is thought to be the brightest supernova in the past decade.
This recent discovery has provided astronomers with new insight into the death of stars. SN 2020ue, classified as a Type Ia supernova, occurs when a white dwarf star gains mass from a companion star until its core reaches a critical temperature that causes a runaway thermonuclear reaction. This stellar explosion is particularly useful for astronomers, as Type Ia supernovae have a consistent peak brightness, allowing them to be used as “standard candles” for measuring distances in space.
The discovery of SN 2020ue has allowed astronomers to observe a relatively nearby supernova in great detail, giving us valuable insight into the death of stars.
source: Phys.org