Supernova Shines Brightest Tonight: Tips to View the One-of-a-Kind Cosmic Event

Amateur sky-watchers only need a good pair of binoculars, or a telescope, and clear skies tonight to see the brightest supernova spotted in the last 40 years. Tonight and Friday are when the exploding star is expected to be brightest, even though it’s 21 million light years away. A supernova is a powerful stellar explosion which takes place when the life of a star ends. While collapsing, the falling star triggers an explosion which causes radiation and outshines the entire galaxy before fading away from sight. Although there are different types of supernovae in the universe, the supernova in question has been located in the “Pinwheel Galaxy” and identified as a type 1a supernova -- the kind used to measure the expansion of the universe. The type 1a supernova takes place when a super-dense white dwarf star explodes creating massive radiation, and they are typically 10 to 50 times brighter than other supernovas. Scientists call this supernova SN 2011fe. Not even two weeks ago, astronomer Peter Nugent, a senior scientist at Lawrence Berkeley National Laboratory, spotted this white dwarf just above the Big Dipper. According to scientists, this supernova is one-of-a-kind because a supernova hasn’t been seen this close to Earth since 1972… and it isn’t expected to happen again for another 4 decades. To get the best view, look just above the handle of the Big Dipper after sunset, before the rising moon washes out the night sky. Assuming there is no cloud cover, you should be able to see the light burst and fade in one of the Pinwheel Galaxy’s spiral arms.