A brand new supernova in M101
A new supernova within the Pinwheel Galaxy, M101, is the closest to Earth in a decade. Beginner astronomer Koichi Itagaki found the supernova on Could 19, 2023. The supernova will proceed to brighten for a number of days and stay seen to beginner astronomers with yard telescopes for a number of months. The supernova lies within the course of the constellation Ursa Major, close to the tip of the deal with of the Big Dipper.
The final supernova in M101 was in 2011. Andy Howell, an astronomer on the College of California, Santa Barbara, explained on Twitter that the 2011 explosion resulted from a white dwarf that underwent a thermonuclear supernova. Andy mentioned that the brand new supernova is almost definitely from a special trigger, from a core collapse of an enormous star on the finish of its life. Whereas observers gained’t be capable of see this supernova with the unaided eye, amateurs ought to be capable of catch it yard telescopes. As Andy said:
… this new supernova will improve in brightness over the approaching days. You need to be capable of see it with yard telescopes, for a number of months, although it’ll simply be a degree of sunshine.
How shut is the closest in a decade?
M101 is 21 million light-years away. So despite the fact that we simply noticed it yesterday, it occurred 21 million years in the past. And despite the fact that it’s the closest in a decade, it’s nonetheless fairly distant. The truth is, for a supernova to affect Earth, it must be inside 50 light-years of our planet. You may relaxation assured that the brand new supernova won’t harm Earth. As a substitute, we get to observe a comparatively uncommon occasion as scientists collect data on the brand new supernova.
Supernova before-and-after picture
Look within the higher arm of this galaxy- you will see a star seem to blink out and in of existence. That is a supernova! Very just lately found in m101: the Pinwheel galaxy (which I occurred to be taking pictures when this occurred) pic.twitter.com/8hvplfXNtd
— Andrew McCarthy (@AJamesMcCarthy) May 20, 2023
Breaking information, at this time a brand new Kind 2 Supernova appeared within the Pinwheel galaxy (M101) round lunchtime at this time and I acquired pictures tonight. It is a VERY uncommon occasion! Regardless of heavy forest hearth smoke, mild air pollution and aurora, it nonetheless shines via strongly. Appears to have… pic.twitter.com/Jpmp2ZPjva
— ChasinSpin (@ChasinSpin) May 20, 2023
Backside line: An beginner astronomer found a brand new supernova in M101 – the Pinwheel Galaxy – on Could 19, 2023. The supernova will proceed to brighten for a pair days and be seen to amateurs in yard telescopes for a number of months.
