Supernovae can expel several solar masses of material at speeds up to several percent of the speed of light. This drives an expanding shock wave into the surrounding interstellar medium, …

Nov 21, 2025 · supernova, any of a class of violently exploding stars whose luminosity after eruption suddenly increases many millions of times its normal level. The term supernova is …

Sep 25, 2025 · A supernova of a star more than about 10 times the size of our sun may leave behind the densest objects in the universe— black holes. The Crab Nebula is the leftover, or …

Supernovas are some of the brightest events in the universe, occasionally outshining entire galaxies at their peak. Many supernovas can be seen from billions of light-years away, and …

Jun 19, 2023 · A supernova is what happens when a star has reached the end of its life and explodes in a brilliant burst of light.

Oct 3, 2025 · What is a supernova explained simply? Learn how stars explode, the types of supernovae, what they leave behind, and the most famous supernovae in history.

Mar 30, 2025 · A supernova is not just a star’s death—it is a dramatic event that reshapes the cosmos. These cosmic explosions are responsible for creating the elements that make up the …

Supernova explosions are spectacular exceptions to that rule. Several different pathways can lead to a supernova explosion, one of which is the death of a supermassive star.

Nov 8, 2023 · While its exact time of death remains uncertain, astronomers estimate the roughly 15-solar-mass behemoth will explode as a supernova within the next 10,000 to 100,000 years.

What is a supernova? Learn how massive stars explode, the types of supernovae, and the famous cosmic events captured by astronomers.