The most visible exploding star in a generation will be visible in skies above Britain within a fortnight, Oxford University astronomers have announced.
The supernova, triggered by the collapse of a star 21 million light years away from Earth, began on Tuesday and could soon be bright enough to see through a pair of binoculars.
The cosmic event, observed by Oxford scientists and American colleagues, is one of the closest stellar explosions to Earth since 1987, and is the nearest example of its type to be seen from Earth in 40 years. [...]
For the first three weeks after the explosion, the supernova will burn with the brightness of more than a billion Suns, but experts warned that it would still be difficult for the general public to locate in the night sky.
Dr Mark Sullivan, who led the Oxford team, said: “The best time to see this exploding star will be just after evening twilight in the Northern hemisphere in a week or so’s time … You’ll need dark skies and a good pair of binoculars, although a small telescope would be even better.”
Print
Email
Get news updates by email. Enter your email address below to subscribe: 
