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When you purchase through links on our site, we may earn an affiliate commission. Here’s why you can trust us. Oh, to be a star, and die in the most brilliant of explosions. This Spitzer false-color image is a composite of data from the Spitzer Space Telescope. This image is a view of Kepler’s supernova remnant taken in X-rays, visible light, and infrared radiation.
A supernova is what happens when a star has reached the end of its life and explodes in a brilliant burst of light. They’re also the primary source of heavy elements in the universe. According to NASA, supernovae are “the largest explosion that takes place in space. Various civilizations recorded supernovae long before the telescope was invented in the 17th century. The oldest recorded supernova is RCW 86, which Chinese astronomers spotted in A. Their records show that this “guest star” stayed in the sky for eight months, according to NASA.
Related: When will the sun die? Chinese and Korean astronomers who recorded this star explosion in their records in 1054. Native Americans may have seen it as well, according to rock paintings found in Arizona and New Mexico. The supernova that formed the Crab Nebula was so bright that those early astronomers could see it during the day. The scientists suggested that supernovas happen when ordinary stars collapse into neutron stars. This means a star explodes every 10 seconds or so somewhere in the universe, according to the U.