Where is supernova 1987a

Located in the nearby Large Magellanic Cloud, it is the nearest supernova explosion observed in hundreds of years and the best opportunity yet for astronomers to study the phases before, during, and after the death of a star. To commemorate the 30th anniversary of SN A, new images, time-lapse movies, a data-based animation based on work led by Salvatore Orlando at INAF-Osservatorio Astronomico di Palermo, Italy, and a three-dimensional model are being released.

Hubble has repeatedly observed SN A since , accumulating hundreds of images, and Chandra began observing SN A shortly after its deployment in ALMA, a powerful array of 66 antennas , has been gathering high-resolution millimeter and submillimeter data on SN A since its inception. The latest data from these powerful telescopes indicate that SN A has passed an important threshold. What lies beyond the ring is poorly known at present, and depends on the details of the evolution of the star when it was a red giant.

This scientific visualization illustrates the evolution of Supernova A from the initial swelling of the host star and supernova explosion to the expanding shock wave and the formation of molecules detected by ALMA in the remnant. Additional animation and video credits: A. Angelich and B. Indebetouw et al. Burrows et al. The star responsible for Supernova A ejected more material in some directions than others. Rings of material are now lighting up as shock waves from the supernova pass through them.

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When it was first discovered on Feb. To celebrate the 30th anniversary of SN A, researchers have released new images, time-lapse videos and animation of the supernova's evolution. But by studying the evolution of SN A from supernova to supernova remnant in superb detail, using telescopes in space and on the ground, astronomers have gained revolutionary insights into the deaths of massive stars. The Hubble Space Telescope has also studied the supernova in great detail since it launched into space in At the time, "Hubble was the first to see the event in high resolution" and clearly image the structure of the supernova, which consists of a main ring surrounding the exploded star and two fainter outer rings, ESA officials said.