“Amateur Astronomer Discovers Brilliant Supernova Visible in Night Sky: SN 2023ixf in Pinwheel Galaxy”

• An amateur astronomer discovered a brilliant supernova
• The explosion is beautifully visible in the night sky

Amateur astronomers have been waiting. A bright supernova can be seen in the sky these days and can be observed even with smaller telescopes. It is located high in the sky, so it is not disturbed so much by the waxing moon. This is one of the closest and therefore the brightest and best observable supernova explosions in recent years.

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Star explosion

The supernova, named SN 2023ixf, is located in the Pinwheel Galaxy, also known as Messier 101, 21 million light-years from Earth. This face-on spiral galaxy is part of the Ursa Major constellation, home to the famous Big Dipper.

The discovery was made by the famous supernova hunter Koichi Itagaki from Yamagata, Japan. He recorded the explosion of the star with his apparatus for the first time on Friday, May 19. The Zwicky Transient Facility (ZTF) observatory in California subsequently confirmed that it was no mirage.

It is unclear how long SN 2023ixf will be visible in the night sky, but supernovae are usually seen as bright points of light for several weeks before fading. Some may be visible for several months.

How to observe a supernova from the Czech Republic?

• You can use various stargazing services, such as Stellarium Online or the Night Sky mobile app, to find the exact location of SN 2023ixf.
• First, find Messier 101, the unmistakable spiral galaxy below the stars Mizar and Alkaid.
• You can use any small telescope to observe SN 2023ixf. Start by spotting the star Alkaid, the supernova is nearby and you can’t escape.
• If you have professional equipment, tell the telescope to look for M101.

Preview photo source: Bing Image Creator (generated by AI), source: The Space