The unknown creator of a supernova in the light

2012/09/12 Roa Zubia, Guillermo - Elhuyar Zientzia Iturria: Elhuyar aldizkaria

• Astronomia

For the first time it has been detected that at the origin of a type 1a supernova there were two stars. They have achieved this by analyzing the footprints of the PTF 11kx supernova that they saw in January 2011. The results show the participation of a white dwarf and a red giant.

These results coincide with the process announced by the theories, since the supernovae of type 1a had their origin in a white dwarf and a second star; the white dwarf would arrive from the second absorbed matter to produce a supernova in conditions of explosion. But theory is nothing more than a theory. In practice no remnants of this second hypothetical star were detected and astronomers did not know what kind of star that second star could be. A group of astronomers from the University of California have discovered that in the case of the PTF 11kx supernova it was a red giant. To find out, they have analyzed the remains of the supernova through the Hawaiian Keck telescope in 59 days after the explosion. The optical spectrum of the material that remained in the layers near the explosion zone has been discovered with great precision as the second star was a red giant.