Witnessing Cosmic Fireworks: First Glimpse at Supernova's Stunning Early Stages

Scientists, using the Very Large Telescope, have captured the earliest stages of a supernova explosion, revealing a star 15 times the mass of our sun exploding in an olive-like shape. The study provides new insights into the mechanisms behind these cosmic events, challenging existing models.

In a groundbreaking astronomical observation, scientists have captured the initial stages of a supernova explosion, offering fresh insights into the cosmic event's nature. Utilizing the European Southern Observatory's Very Large Telescope located in Chile, researchers observed a massive star, estimated to be 15 times the mass of our sun, as it erupted in a distinctive olive-like shape.

This remarkable event occurred in a galaxy roughly 22 million light-years away from Earth, in the Hydra constellation. Through prompt coordination, the team obtained an inside look at the phenomenon just 26 hours after its initial detection. Their findings challenge existing scientific models by suggesting that the explosion's geometry influences stellar evolution profoundly.

The study, published in Science Advances, details how the star's explosion was far from spherical. Instead, it witnessed a violent expulsion of material in opposite directions, facilitated by a preexisting disk of gas and dust at the star's equator. These revelations underline the complexity of the processes that lead to the demise of stars larger than our sun.

(With inputs from agencies.)