Using the James Webb Space Telescope (JWST), astronomers recently discovered a new supernova, designated SN 2023adsy, the most distant Type Ia supernova so far detected.
About Supernova:
It is the name given to the cataclysmic explosion of a massive star.
Supernovas are the largest explosions that take place in space.
A star can go supernova in one of two ways:
Type I supernova: A star accumulates matter from a nearby neighbour until a runaway nuclear reaction ignites. They're typically called Type Ia supernovae.
Type II supernova: A star runs out of nuclear fuel and collapses under its own gravity.
Supernovas can briefly outshine entire galaxiesand radiate more energy than our sun will in its entire lifetime.
They're also the primary source of heavy elements in the universe.
On average, a supernova will occur once every 50 years in a galaxy the size of the Milky Way.
The oldest recorded supernova is RCW 86, which Chinese astronomers spotted in A.D. 185.
After a supernova, a few different things can happen.
Sometimes the exploded star will partially collapse into a black hole or a neutron star and the rest of the mass will get converted into energy or will be blown away by the force of the explosion.
This blown-away material is sometimes called a "supernova remnant," which is a type of nebula.
Sometimes, if the exploded star is very massive, during the supernova, a long gamma-ray burst can also happen.
Some of the shed material will get spun up around the resultant black hole or a neutron star and then get sent out through a jet at speeds close to the speed of light.
Because the material is moving so fast, it can emit photons at very high gamma-ray energies—this is the gamma-ray burst.
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