A supernova is a powerful and bright explosion of a star. This short-lived astronomical event occurs on
A series of supernova observations. Animation: UCD Dublin
Supernova observed by scientists - SN2016adj - was discovered in 2016 and is located in the galaxy Centaurus A at a distance of just over 10 million light-years from Earth. For five and a half years, astronomers watched the region around the supernova after it slowly faded away.
There are many dust lanes in the Centaurus A galaxy.The light that propagates from the epicenter of the explosion hits these dusty areas in turn. As a result, they light up further and further away from the supernova's original position, creating a series of expanding rings of radiation called light echoes.
Concentric "light echo" of a supernova. Image: Maximilian D. Stritzinger, The Astrophysical Journal Letters
By observing changes in these rings over the course ofFor many years, astrophysicists have been studying the location and structure of dust lanes near the explosion site. The data obtained show that they are composed of columns of dust with large holes between them, resembling a piece of Swiss cheese.
Although over the years of astronomical observations there have beenmany supernovae have been discovered, scientists rarely manage to document the light echo. The data collected by Hubble represent one of the most detailed such observations.
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