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James Webb Telescope May Have Detected Its First Supernova – Observer

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Images released by NASA from the James Webb Space Telescope have changed the way we look at the Universe. Now, it may have been surprising to detect what scientists believe is a supernova.

“We suspect it is a supernova,” confessed astronomer Mike Engesser of the Space Telescope Science Institute (STScI), to Inverse magazine. The observed supernova potential is, according to astronomers, extremely bright compared to the rest of the galaxy called SDSS.J141930.11+5251593.

New image from Webb telescope shows ‘ghost galaxy’ in detail

The galaxy, which is between three and four billion light-years away, has been observed twice five days apart. The observed phenomenon dimmed only slightly on those days, which is considered classic behavior for a supernova that, according to the website Spacewas captured by luck after the star burst.

“We need more data (…) to make a determinationbut the data we have corresponds to a supernova, so it’s a very good candidate,” said Mike Engesser.

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The telescope was not designed to find supernovae, but “it’s exciting” that it could allow it to find and detect new transients. The potential supernova was captured using the near-infrared camera (NIRCam) to detect light from stars and galaxies.

Look at the universe with infrared. What’s new with the Webb telescope?

A supernova is a large explosion caused by the death of a star, when the celestial body consumes all the fuel in its core and collapses. The resulting fireball takes days to grow and glow, but then gradually fades over the following months. So it’s “pure luck” that Webb detected this potential supernova right after its peak brightness, writes Inverse.

The finding, if confirmed, could be important because ancient and distant supernovas could help astronomers better understand the very fabric of the universe and how it stretches and expands over time.

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