Supernova in real time

2008/07/01 Elhuyar Zientzia Iturria: Elhuyar aldizkaria

• Astronomia

Astronomers have observed for the first time a supernova at the very moment it exploded. Thanks to this, they will have the opportunity to decipher the complete process of the supernova.

Astronomers thought that in the process of forming the supernova, just before it exploded, the star emitted X-rays and that this emission could be detected in a few minutes. But they had no direct evidence, as until then they saw the supernovae having exploded.

On this occasion they have had the opportunity to analyze a supernova from the beginning. It has happened randomly. Precisely, astronomers at Princeton University were forcing a supernova of the Lynx constellation through the Swift satellite. It was January 9. A 5 minute X-ray emission was detected. Apparently, they soon realized that they would witness the birth of a supernova: Supernova SN 2008D.

They were lucky, as the tools that the Swift satellite has are ideal for observing the evolution of the supernovae. They also organized an international campaign focusing on the main telescopes: Chandra, Hubble, VLA... With the data collected by all of them, they have been able to investigate from the moment a supernova is created.