- A supernova (plural supernovae not supernovas) is the final, gigantic explosion of a supergiant star at the end of its life.
- A supernova lasts for just a week or so, but shines as bright as a galaxy of 100 billion ordinary stars.
- Supernovae happen when a supergiant star uses up its hydrogen and helium fuel and shrinks, boosting pressure in its core enough to fuse heavy elements such as iron (see nuclear energy).
- When iron begins to fuse in its core, a star collapses instantly — then rebounds in a mighty explosion.
- Seen in 1987, supernova 1987A was the first viewed with the naked eye since Kepler’s 1604 sighting.
- Supernova remnants (leftovers) are the gigantic, cloudy shells of material swelling out from supernovae.
- A supernova seen by Chinese astronomers in AD 184 was thought to be such a bad omen that it sparked off a palace revolution.
- A dramatic supernova was seen by Chinese astronomers in AD 1054 and left the Crab nebula.
- Elements heavier than iron were made in supernovae.
- Many of the elements that make up your body were forged in supernovae.
Supernova Facts
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