supernova
Latest about supernova
![A gold coin minted during the reign of Byzantine Emperor Constantine IX may show a supernova that lit up the sky for more than a year.](https://cdn.mos.cms.futurecdn.net/7i5aPKvJBnGN9damEBn3w8-320-80.jpg)
Rare Byzantine coin may show a 'forbidden' supernova explosion from A.D. 1054
By Brandon Specktor published
A rare Byzantine gold coin may depict the ancient supernova SN 1054 in clear defiance of the church.
![This NASA illustration depicts a solitary black hole in space, with its gravity warping the view of stars and galaxies in the background.](https://cdn.mos.cms.futurecdn.net/vCE9zrJHCCg7c5oBSRJFFR-320-80.jpeg)
The 7 most terrifying things in space
By Jamie Carter published
Here are seven of the most terrifying things in space, including solar flares, black holes and supernovas.
![This four-panel graphic illustrates how the southern region of the rapidly evolving, bright, red supergiant star Betelgeuse may have suddenly become fainter for several months during late 2019 and early 2020. In the first two panels, as seen in ultraviolet light with the Hubble Space Telescope, a bright, hot blob of plasma is ejected from the emergence of a huge convection cell on the star's surface. In panel three, the outflowing, expelled gas rapidly expands outward. It cools to form an enormous cloud of obscuring dust grains. The final panel reveals the huge dust cloud blocking the light (as seen from Earth) from a quarter of the star's surface.](https://cdn.mos.cms.futurecdn.net/4cwsTXBgUmmKjoGELmKBb8-320-80.jpg)
One of the brightest stars in the sky dimmed in 2019. Now we know why.
By Stephanie Pappas published
The star Betelgeuse visibly dimmed in 2019. A new analysis finds that it blew off a huge amount of its surface.
![Poof!](https://cdn.mos.cms.futurecdn.net/vBQEcvQVwKU4PmuxZW2UE-320-80.jpg)
Monstrous ‘Kilonova’ Explosions May Be Showering a Nearby Galaxy in Gold
By Brandon Specktor last updated
The universe's most massive objects are crashing into each other, and they're leaving a rain of gold and platinum behind them.
![The Hubble Space Telescope captured this infrared image of the Pillars of Creation in the Eagle Nebula. The light from young stars being formed can be seen piercing the clouds of dust and gas.](https://cdn.mos.cms.futurecdn.net/NzBTvogZjAsv2VmpzkoVMN-320-80.jpg)
How long do stars live?
By Colin Stuart last updated
Stars are born amid turbulent clouds, and their deaths can be just as explosive. But how long do stars live? It depends on the size of the star.
![An 'Obi-Wan Kenobi' star in a distant galaxy survived its own supernova explosion, appearing again even brighter than before.](https://cdn.mos.cms.futurecdn.net/RUniQFpLSAFmBMPharup6N-320-80.jpg)
Rare 'Obi-Wan Kenobi' star survives death by supernova, returns stronger and brighter
By Brandon Specktor published
A white dwarf star exploded in a supernova and survived, reappearing even brighter than before. In a new study, scientists hypothesize why.
![A 0.1-ounce (3-gram) sample of the Hypatia stone.](https://cdn.mos.cms.futurecdn.net/SEAiuT2tKZGGKgokuAFcUN-320-80.jpeg)
Alien stone in Egyptian desert came from rare supernova, scientists say
By Ben Turner published
The rock likely formed from the merging of dust with the remnants of the two stars involved in the explosion.
![A colorized image of Cassiopeia A based on data from the Hubble, Spitzer and Chandra space telescopes.](https://cdn.mos.cms.futurecdn.net/Z54iQpkUbrh5ikDVB4osZ6-320-80.jpg)
Strange 'reverse shock wave' supernova is exploding in the wrong direction
By Harry Baker published
Data collected by NASA's Chandra X-ray Observatory have revealed that a supernova shock wave traveling through the Cassiopeia A nebula is not expanding as evenly as it should be.
![A still image from a visualization showing the Eta Carinae supernova expanding into space.](https://cdn.mos.cms.futurecdn.net/TiaB8VoZ2LqRzxDCM4XCc7-320-80.jpeg)
Eta Carinae's epic supernova explosion comes to life in new visualization
By Elizabeth Howell published
Data from three space telescopes help tell the story of Eta Carinae's explosion.
![Artist's illustration of the Local Bubble with the sun's location in the center and star formation occurring on the bubble's surface.](https://cdn.mos.cms.futurecdn.net/oGSaZLyMSALsGiMZKjhJJA-320-80.png)
Earth is at the center of a 1,000-light-year-wide 'Swiss cheese' bubble carved out by supernovas
By Harry Baker published
A new study into the Local Bubble, a cosmic void surrounding Earth, has mapped out the star-forming regions on the bubble's surface and uncovered more information about its explosive birth.
Sign up for the Live Science daily newsletter now
Get the world’s most fascinating discoveries delivered straight to your inbox.