Researchers have discovered the most luminous supernova seen to date. Supernovae are stars that collapse on themselves and blow up like a big star bomb, generating massive amounts of energy before they die.
This record-breaking supernova, called ASASSN-15h, was 20 times more powerful than all 100 billion stars in the Milky Way combined.
Lead investigator Krzyszof Stanek of Ohio State University, says the origin of the supernova remains a mystery. However, astronomers are on the case: the Hubble Space Telescope will observe the star's host galaxy later this year, telling scientists more about the supernova's environment.
The Moore Foundation's Chief Program Officer for Science, Robert Kirshner, commented on the finding in a recent article:
"We’re looking for other clues — circumstantial evidence — about the nature of the galaxies where they form," he said. "This might tell us something useful about the chemistry of the star that exploded or its age."
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