Supernova

A supernova is a stellar explosion that ejects matter and energy into space, briefly outshining its host galaxy. It marks the destruction of a star or the explosive renewal of a white dwarf.

Core-collapse supernova: A supernova triggered when the core of a massive star collapses under gravity. This pathway follows the collapse of a massive star’s iron-rich core.
White dwarf: A compact stellar remnant supported against gravity by electron degeneracy pressure. A white dwarf can undergo a thermonuclear explosion in a Type Ia event.
Standard candle: An astronomical object whose intrinsic luminosity is known or calibrated, allowing its distance to be estimated. Type Ia supernovae provide calibrated luminosities for measuring cosmic distances.
SN 1987A: A nearby supernova discovered in the Large Magellanic Cloud in 1987, arising from a blue supergiant. Its neutrinos and evolving ejecta gave unusually direct evidence about core collapse.
Supernova classification: The system for grouping supernovae by spectral features and observed light curves. Its categories distinguish events that can look similar but arise differently.
Type Ia supernova: A thermonuclear explosion of a white dwarf in a binary system. This pathway destroys a white dwarf rather than collapsing a massive stellar core.
Neutron star: An extremely dense stellar remnant composed mostly of neutrons. Core collapse can leave this compact object at the center of the ejecta.
Cosmic distance ladder: A sequence of astronomical methods that calibrate distances from nearby stars to distant galaxies. Supernovae extend distance measurements far beyond the reach of parallax.
Tycho's Supernova: A supernova observed by Tycho Brahe in 1572, now identified as a Type Ia event. Its remnant links a well-recorded historical explosion to a modern supernova class.
Type II supernova: A core-collapse supernova whose spectrum shows hydrogen lines. Hydrogen in the spectrum distinguishes this class from stripped-envelope explosions.

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