Where did the Supernova 1987A occur?
Supernova 1987A, first supernova observed in 1987 (hence its designation) and the nearest to Earth in more than three centuries. It occurred in the Large Magellanic Cloud, a satellite galaxy of the Milky Way Galaxy that lies about 160,000 light-years distant.
How long was SN 1987A visible?
four months
Before it exploded, it was a luminous blue giant star that put out 100,000 times as much power as the Sun. After the explosion, the expanding debris glowed in visible light with the power of 100,000,000 suns for four months. Supernova 1987A is located in a nearby galaxy called the Large Magellanic Cloud.
Why was Supernova 1987A special?
The titanic supernova, called Supernova 1987A (SN 1987A), blazed with the power of 100 million suns for several months following its discovery on Feb. 23, 1987. Since that first sighting, SN 1987A has continued to fascinate astronomers with its spectacular light show.
Is SN 1987A still visible?
The strikingly bright shock waves from a massive star explosion first observed in 1987 can still be seen today, three decades later. This brilliant star explosion, called Supernova 1987A, occurred only 160,000 light-years from Earth in a satellite galaxy of the Milky Way known as the Large Magellanic Cloud.
What is SN 1987A?
Since that first sighting, SN 1987A has continued to fascinate astronomers with its spectacular light show. Located in the nearby Large Magellanic Cloud, it is the nearest supernova explosion observed in hundreds of years and the best opportunity yet for astronomers to study the phases before, during, and after the death of a star.
What is the half life of SN 1987A?
Energy for the peak of the light curve of SN1987A was provided by the decay of 56 Ni to 56 Co (half life of 6 days) while energy for the later light curve in particular fit very closely with the 77.3-day half-life of 56 Co decaying to 56 Fe.
Is SN 1987A a neutron star?
SN 1987A appears to be a core-collapse supernova, which should result in a neutron star given the size of the original star. The neutrino data indicate that a compact object did form at the star’s core.
Why is the SN 1987A ejecta no longer visible?
Because the 56 Co in SN1987A has now completely decayed, it no longer supports the luminosity of the SN 1987A ejecta. That is currently powered by the radioactive decay of 44 Ti with a half life of about 60 years. With this change, X-rays produced by the ring interactions of the ejecta began to contribute significantly to the total light curve.