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Astronomy: Supernova SN1987A
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In 1987 a supernova was observed in the nearby galaxy Large Magellican Cloud. This is the first close supernova in the last 3 centuries. Astronomers not only observed the light show, but also the preceding electron anti-neutrinos produced by the collapse of the star's core. The neutrinos were detected some 3 hours before the first sighting of the supernova's light. The picture on the right was taken by the Hubble Space Telescope in 1994. The supernova is in the center, the 2 bright stars are just in the field of view and are not associated with the supernova. The bright yellow ring is gas and dust heated by the supernova. In this picture it is still to early to see the expanding shell of the explosion itself. The expanding shell will fill the region in the following years. The 2 large rings are not yet completely understood, though they appear to be associated with the supernova. Related subjects>> The Large Magellanic Cloud>> Supernova SNR 0103-72.6 in the Small Magellanic Cloud >> The Tarantula nebula in the Large Magellanic Cloud |
 Supernova SN1987A |
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