The supernova known as SN2018gv was first spotted in January 2018. The Hubble Space Telescope began observing it the following month. The photos were taken for a year, until February 2019, and then were combined into an animation.
“No earthly fireworks display can compete with this supernova,” said lead researcher Adam Riess of Space Telescope Science Institute.
How does an explosion arise?
The observed supernova is a so-called Type Ia supernova. An explosion occurs when a white dwarf, a small object left over from a dead star, pulls material from its companion star. When it exceeds its critical mass of 1.44 times that of the Sun, its core heats up to such an extent that it turns it into a giant atomic bomb. The released energy causes the dwarf to explode and tear the dwarf to shreds. The star’s brightness increases dramatically and enormous amounts of radiation are emitted. By the time la-type supernovae fade away, they will be five billion times brighter than the sun.
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