NGC 613 in Dust, Stars, and a Supernova
Image Credit:
NASA,
ESA,
Hubble,
S. Smartt
(QUB);
Acknowledgement:
Robert Gendler;
Insets: Victor Buso
Where did that spot come from?
Amateur astronomer Victor Buso was testing out a new camera on his telescope in 2016 when he noticed a curious spot of light appear -- and remain.
After reporting
this unusual observation,
this spot was determined to be light from a
supernova
just as it was becoming visible -- in an earlier stage
than had ever been photographed optically before.
The discovery before and after images, taken about an hour apart,
are shown in the inset of a
more detailed image
of the same spiral galaxy,
NGC 613,
taken by the Hubble Space Telescope.
Follow-up observations show that
SN 2016gkg was likely the explosion of a
supergiant star,
and Buso likely captured the stage where the outgoing
detonation wave
from the stellar core
broke through
the star's surface.
Since astronomers have spent years
monitoring galaxies for supernovas without seeing such a "break out" event,
the odds of Buso capturing this
have been compared to
winning a lottery.