A Supernova Starfield
Explanation:
Bright stars don't last forever. A
bright star
similar to others in this field exploded in a spectacular
supernova that was
witnessed on Earth in 1987.
The result is visible even today as
unusual rings
and glowing gas. The
above picture is a composite of
recent images taken over several years.
The explosion originated from a bright massive star that
ran out of nuclear fuel.
SN1987A occurred in the
Large Magellanic Cloud
(LMC), a satellite galaxy only 150,000 light years from our
Milky Way Galaxy.
The rings of
SN1987A
are currently excited by light from the initial explosion.
Astronomers expect the
inner ring to brighten
in the next few years as expanding supernova debris
overtakes it.
Authors & editors:
Robert Nemiroff
(MTU) &
Jerry Bonnell
(USRA)
NASA Web Site Statements, Warnings,
and Disclaimers
NASA Official: Jay Norris.
Specific
rights apply.
A service of:
LHEA at
NASA /
GSFC
& Michigan Tech. U.
