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Hubble catches 'first spark' of supernova light show
Decade of fireworks to follow
February 11, 1998
Web posted at: 12:09 a.m. EST (0509 GMT)WASHINGTON (CNN) -- It has been 11 years since the supernova known as 1987A exploded with the force of billions of atomic bombs.
The pressure wave generated by the blast has been moving at 40 million miles an hour since, and is now reaching a gaseous ring around the dying star.
The Hubble Space Telescope has captured images of the cosmic collision, which manifests itself now as a small, glowing knot of gas.
NASA animation of a supernova (NASA) 1.1MB/19 sec./240x180
713KB/19 sec./160x120
QuickTime movieBut as the shock wave continues over the next 10 years, it will move out in a powerful ripple to light up the entire inner edge of the ring and create a ring of fire.
"It's the innermost part, just the first spark, of some stellar fireworks that are going to take place over the next couple of decades," says Robert Kirshner of Harvard University.
Located just 167,000 light years away, 1987A is the brightest and closest supernova to come Earth's way in 400 years.
NASA's simulation of the nova in the coming decades A supernova occurs when a large star dies, first expelling layers of gas outward, then exploding into a huge ball of fire, scattering complex molecules formed deep inside stars far out into space.
The ring around the star is composed of matter the dying star has released, and is about 6 trillion miles wide, scientists say.
As the shock wave continues to travel outward, more clouds of gas, unseen to this point, should light up.
Correspondent Alesia Stanford and Reuters contributed to this report.
Related stories:
- Hubble images of dying stars force cosmic reconsideration - December 17, 1997
- Stars burst to life before Hubble's lens - October 21, 1997
- Oooh! Ahhh! New cool pics from Hubble - June 9, 1997
- With upgrade, Hubble offers new glimpse of space - May 12, 1997
- Hubble telescope sends back photos of 'twisters' - January 22, 1997
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