Supernovae can expel several solar masses of material at speeds up to several percent of the speed of light. This drives an expanding shock wave into the surrounding interstellar medium, …

2 days ago · Some of the earliest images ever taken in the wake of massive star’s death give astronomers important clues about what triggers a supernova.

Oct 11, 2025 · supernova, any of a class of violently exploding stars whose luminosity after eruption suddenly increases many millions of times its normal level. The term supernova is …

21 hours ago · For the first time, scientists determined the shape of a supernova's shock front as it burst through the surface of a dying star.

Sep 25, 2025 · A supernova is the biggest explosion that humans have ever seen. Each blast is the extremely bright, super-powerful explosion of a star. An illustration of one of the brightest …

3 days ago · UH astronomer Chris Ashall was part of the international team that raced to record and study the supernova in real time.

What is a supernova? Learn how massive stars explode, the types of supernovae, and the famous cosmic events captured by astronomers.