Back to Glossary

Supernova

A supernova is the explosive death of a star, during which it rapidly ejects most of its mass in a brilliant burst of light. In core‑collapse supernovae (Types Ib, Ic, II), massive stars (≥ 8 solar masses) exhaust their nuclear fuel, collapse under gravity, and explode. In Type Ia supernovae, a white dwarf in a binary system undergoes runaway fusion after accreting mass. These events deliver heavy elements into space, leave behind neutron stars or black holes, and power typical shock‑front supernova remnants.

Source: heasarc.gsfc.nasa.gov

APODs including "Supernova"

The High Energy Crab Nebula

The High Energy Crab Nebula

22/11/1998

Sextans A: A Seemingly Square Galaxy

Sextans A: A Seemingly Square Galaxy

03/11/1998

The Pulsar Powered Crab

The Pulsar Powered Crab

05/09/1998

SGR 1900+14: Magnetar

SGR 1900+14: Magnetar

03/09/1998

Doomed Star Eta Carinae

Doomed Star Eta Carinae

16/08/1998

The Cygnus Loop

The Cygnus Loop

08/08/1998

IRAS Orion

IRAS Orion

31/07/1998

GRB 980703: A Reassuring Redshift

GRB 980703: A Reassuring Redshift

13/07/1998

Cosmic Rays and Supernova Dust

Cosmic Rays and Supernova Dust

18/06/1998

Henize 70: A SuperBubble In The LMC

Henize 70: A SuperBubble In The LMC

13/06/1998

A Gamma-Ray Burst Supernova?

A Gamma-Ray Burst Supernova?

08/05/1998

A Powerful Gamma-ray Burst

A Powerful Gamma-ray Burst

07/05/1998

The Frothy Milky Way

The Frothy Milky Way

02/05/1998

Supernova Remnant and Neutron Star

Supernova Remnant and Neutron Star

25/04/1998

Betelgeuse

Betelgeuse

19/04/1998

Star Wars in NGC 664

Star Wars in NGC 664

18/04/1998

NGC 1818: Pick A Star

NGC 1818: Pick A Star

15/04/1998

M20: The Trifid Nebula

M20: The Trifid Nebula

31/03/1998

Interstellar Dust-Bunnies of NGC 891

Interstellar Dust-Bunnies of NGC 891

18/03/1998

Rumors of a Strange Universe

Rumors of a Strange Universe

02/03/1998

Shocked by Supernova 1987a

Shocked by Supernova 1987a

17/02/1998

Ultra-Fast Pulsar

Ultra-Fast Pulsar

11/02/1998

M1: Filaments of the Crab Nebula

M1: Filaments of the Crab Nebula

08/02/1998

A Distant Destiny

A Distant Destiny

14/01/1998

30 Doradus Across the Spectrum

30 Doradus Across the Spectrum

24/12/1997

The Radio Sky: Tuned to 408MHz

The Radio Sky: Tuned to 408MHz

14/12/1997

Phi Persei: Double Star

Phi Persei: Double Star

12/12/1997

Runaway Star

Runaway Star

03/12/1997

Moving Echoes Around SN 1987A

Moving Echoes Around SN 1987A

24/10/1997

Echos of Supernova 1987A

Echos of Supernova 1987A

23/10/1997