If you live in the Northern hemisphere and consider yourself a stargazer, then grab your telescope or binoculars and head no further than your backyard.
Scientists at the Lawrence Berkeley National Laboratory recently discovered a supernova about 21 million light years away in the Pinwheel Galaxy, and weather permitting, you'll have a front row view this weekend.
Peter Nugent of the Lawrence Berkeley National Lab, said the supernova will still stay relatively bright for a couple weeks.
So, what exactly is a supernova and why is this such an event?
Basically, a supernova is a dying star. They come in all varieties and shape, from stars that blow up that are ten, 100 times bigger than our sun, but this one actually is a star called a carbon-oxygen white dwarf, which is about the size of the planet Earth.
This supernova is incredible because it was caught early and it's going to get so bright that astronomers will be able to use almost any of the telescopes on any of the major observatories in the world to look at it.
Quotes
"When something is 21 million light years away, that means it's taken 21 million years for that light to get to us. So it has been a long, long time ago in a galaxy far away." - Peter Nugent of the Lawrence Berkeley National Lab.
Warm Up Questions
1. What is astronomy?
2. What is a galaxy?
3. What is a star?
3. What is a supernova?
Discussion Questions
1. Where is the Northern hemisphere? Why is this important to view the supernova?
2. What makes this supernova extra special?
3. Have you ever seen a supernova?
Additional Resources
Shattered Expectations: Ultrabright Supernovae Defy Explanation
