NASA Astronomy Image of the Day 22 Might 2023: Supernova snapped by astrophotographer

There’s a staggering variety of stars within the universe, estimated to be round 200 billion trillion. There are a minimum of 100 billion stars inside our personal galaxy, whereas your entire universe harbors greater than 100 billion galaxies. When a star explodes, the explosion that happens, often known as a supernova, is the most important explosion in house. Based on NASA, a supernova happens when the core or heart of a star adjustments. The transformation can happen in two alternative ways, each leading to a supernova. Just a few days in the past, a supernova was found close to a spiral galaxy.

At the moment’s NASA Astronomy Image of the Day is a snapshot of supernova SN 2023ixf situated close to the spiral galaxy M101. The supernova was found by Japanese astronomer Koichi Itagaki and situated on automated pictures captured by the Zwicky Transient Facility, a large-field celestial astronomical survey in California.

About this supernova

Based on NASA, SN 2023ixf is a type-II supernova, which happens when a star runs out of nuclear gas and collapses. Though supernovae solely occur briefly, they’ll inform scientists rather a lot in regards to the universe. By finding out supernovae, scientists have additionally make clear the truth that we live in an ever-expanding universe.

This picture was taken by astrophotographer Craig Stokes.

Picture description from NASA

After this close by star exploded, humanity’s telescopes rapidly turned to look at it. The supernova, named SN 2023ixf, was found by Japanese astronomer Koichi Itagaki three days in the past and situated two days afterward automated pictures from the Zwicky Transient Facility. SN 2023ixf was discovered within the photogenic pinwheel galaxy M101, making it the closest supernova seen within the final 5 years, the second closest within the final 10 years, and the second supernova seen in M101 at simply 21 million light-years away. Final 15 years.

Quick follow-up observations already point out that SN 2023ixf is a kind II supernova, an explosion that happens after a big star runs out of nuclear gas and collapses. The featured picture exhibits the house spiral galaxy with a supernova spotlight two days in the past, whereas the roll-over picture exhibits the identical galaxy a month in the past. SN 2023ixf will doubtless be brilliant and visual to telescopes for months. Finding out such close by and younger sort II supernovae can present new clues about huge stars and the way they explode.

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