Hidden 6,500 light-years away from our planet lies a zombie star shrouded in swirling tendrils of scorching sulfur.
Described as a crucial piece in unraveling the mystery of this peculiar supernova remnant, astronomer Tim Cunningham from the Harvard & Smithsonian Center for Astrophysics in Cambridge, Mass., sheds light on this fascinating discovery.
This supernova was initially observed in 1181 as a “guest star” by ancient astronomers in China and Japan. However, it wasn’t until 2013 that astronomers stumbled upon the remnants of this explosion, now known as the Pa 30 nebula.
Upon closer inspection, researchers were taken aback by its unusual appearance. While resembling a type 1a supernova where a white dwarf star explodes and annihilates itself, part of the star miraculously survived.
2024-11-04 09:00:00
Originally published on www.sciencenews.org