Supernova

Using the University of Sheffield’s ULTRASPEC camera, astrophysicists have uncovered signs of life in the rare stellar phenomena known as luminous fast blue optical transients (LFBOTs). This groundbreaking discovery demonstrates that these stellar explosions, driven by remnants like black holes or neutron stars, show ongoing and dynamic activity well after the initial explosion, deepening our understanding of the later stages of stellar evolution. Credit: SciTechDaily.comThe University of Sheffield’s ULTRASPEC camera,…

In a surprising first, scientists might have observed a supernova turning into a black hole or neutron star. This supernova may have been a missing link between stars and black holes, the astronomers say.For decades, astronomers have hoped to find direct observational evidence of the stellar process that changes stars to black holes or neutron stars. And now, while observing a supernova detected last year, researchers may have found such evidence.When a star reaches the end of its lifespan, it runs out of the…

“The nitrogen in our DNA, the calcium in our teeth, the iron in our blood, the carbon in our apple pies were made in the interiors of collapsing stars. We are made of starstuff.”- Carl Sagan This profound statement by Carl Sagan beautifully captures the essence of our cosmic connection. The stars, those twinkling specks in the night sky, are not just distant suns but the very vessels where the recipe of life was cooked. Among the most dramatic events in this cosmic saga are supernovas, stellar explosions of unimaginable…

The XSPECT payload on XPoSat, India's first X-ray polarimetry mission, has captured its first light from the Cassiopeia A (Cas A) supernova remnant, the Indian Space Research Organisation (Isro), said on Thursday. "The continuous observations facilitated by XSPECT's long-duration capabilities are anticipated to contribute significantly to our understanding of the universe's high-energy phenomena," the space agency said.Elevate Your Tech Prowess with High-Value Skill CoursesOffering CollegeCourseWebsiteIIM KozhikodeIIMK…

Groundbreaking observations by a Cornell-led team reveal repeated energetic flares from a stellar corpse following a star’s explosion, challenging existing theories about stellar deaths and highlighting the possible role of black holes or neutron stars in such rare, intense phenomena.A distant star’s explosive demise left behind an active stellar corpse, which is believed to be the source of multiple energetic flares detected over several months. This occurrence, a phenomenon astronomers had never seen before, was…

This deep dataset from Chandra of the remains of a supernova known as 30 Doradus B (30 Dor B) reveals evidence for more than one supernova explosion in the history of this remnant. Unusual structures in the Chandra data cannot be explained by a single explosion. These images of 30 Dor B also show optical data from the Blanco telescope in Chile, and infrared data from Spitzer. Additional data from Hubble highlights sharp features in the image. Credit: X-ray: NASA/CXC/Penn State Univ./L. Townsley et al.; Optical:…

The Japanese space agency JAXA has released the first test images from its X-Ray Imaging and Spectroscopy Mission (XRISM). The images show a galaxy cluster and a supernova remnant, and offer insight into the chemical cocktail that composes the supernova.Will You Click Windows’ New Copilot Button?An X-ray telescope functions similarly to the X-ray Specs of your favorite comic books: they reveal aspects of the cosmos that would otherwise be invisible, enabling astronomers to peer at the undercarriage of the cosmos.XRISM…

This artist’s impression shows how hot, brilliant and high-mass stars evolve. The more massive brighter star expands first, until the outer layers start to strongly feel the gravitational pull of the companion. The companion then starts to suck material from the primary star. When the primary has been stripped from its entire hydrogen-rich envelope it shrinks. Credit: Navid Marvi, courtesy of the Carnegie Institution for ScienceNew findings confirm existence of hot helium stars long-thought to be at the heart of…

While Interstellar popularised the idea of black holes, physicists and research labs continue to expand their research of such interstellar phenomena to further understand the origins of our universe. In December 2021, the US-based National Aeronautics Space Agency launched the imaging X-ray polarimetry explorer mission to explore the remnants of supernova explosions, the particle streams emitted by black holes and other cosmic events.  On 1 January,…

This new image of supernova remnant SN 1006 combines data from NASA’s Imaging X-ray Polarimetry Explorer and NASA’s Chandra X-ray Observatory. The red, green, and blue elements reflect low, medium, and high energy X-rays, respectively, as detected by Chandra. The IXPE data, which measure the polarization of the X-ray light, is show in purple in the upper left corner, with the addition of lines representing the outward movement of the remnant’s magnetic field. Credit: X-ray: NASA/CXC/SAO (Chandra); NASA/MSFC/Nanjing…