Newfound Monster Supernova Breaks Records

Earth Science Even                                                                                         Juliet Timmins

Current Event                                                                                                February 28, 2014

 

Fazekas, Andrew. "Newfound Monster Supernova Breaks Records." News Watch. National Geographic, 20 Dec. 2013. Web. 28 Feb. 2014. <http://newswatch.nationalgeographic.com/2013/12/20/newfound-monster-supernova-breaks-records/>.

“Newfound Monster Supernova Breaks Records"

            Supernovas are believed to happen when a star’s core runs out of nuclear fuel, causing the star to collapse into either a neutron star or a black hole. Recently, in December, astronomers along with the Supernova Legacy Survey (SNLS), think they have discovered a whole new kind of massive supernovas or, dying stars. Originally this supernova was a tiny mark way off in the distance, seen six years ago. Since the dot of light was ten billion light years away, astronomers knew they had found something very unique. Originally, researchers could not determine what they had witnessed because it didn’t fit any of the current credentials to be qualified as a supernova. Lately, with the decision that this is a whole new kind of supernovas, astronomers have labeled them as “superluminous supernovae.”

            After constant theories and all types of scientists and astronomers trying to understand this new supernova they finally uncovered the reason behind the extravagant dying stars. Researchers believe that stars that are fast-spinning and highly magnetized, known as magnetars, have increased energy which allows these colossal explosions. Researchers also revealed that the universe was about four billion years old when this particular supernova occurred and because of this, they are able to conclude that it is most likely a remainder of a former time when galaxies like the Milky Way were still developing.

            This discovery is very important for a couple of key reasons. First, astronomers have realized, especially because of this supernova, that the material propelled off of the explosion enables the next generation of stars to develop. Therefore, the discovery of supernovae is extremely lucrative because it allows researchers to further investigate the origins of stars and the galaxies containing those stars. With better technology, in the future, astronomers can hopefully find more supernovae, allowing them to understand more mysteries of space concerning stars, their beginnings, and the galaxies containing them.

            In my opinion, this article was very well written and provided enough definitions and connections to allow a less experienced reader, in terms of space knowledge, read the article and understand what was going on. On the other hand, one thing I wish the author didn’t do was jump around. Even though this article was not terribly lengthy, after a paragraph, the author would switch gears but go back to a previous thought about two paragraphs later which made me go back and read those sections again to make sure I didn’t miss anything. Lastly, I think the article could have been a little more detailed in the sense of connections. Although I was able to understand what was going on, I would have liked the article a little bit more if the author had talked more about the effect on our solar system, the impact these supernovae could have on existing stars, and those sorts of questions. While having a few critiques, overall I enjoyed this article very much because it left me wondering about space and what other events take place especially near Earth. Also, the article has left me with a lasting impression where in a couple of months I want to go back and research this topic to see what the general outcome was and if any more supernovae have been discovered!