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, sweeping up an …

3 days ago · A supernova of a star more than about 10 times the size of our sun may leave behind the densest objects in the universe— black holes. The Crab Nebula is the leftover, or remnant, of a …

Dec 24, 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 derived from nova …

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

Oct 3, 2025 · What is a supernova explained simply? Learn how stars explode, the types of supernovae, what they leave behind, and the most famous supernovae in history.

Nov 12, 2020 · A supernova is a star's colossal explosion at the end of its life, which can outshine its entire galaxy. Read about causes and types of supernovae here.

A supernova can light the sky up for weeks, and the massive transfer of matter and energy leaves behind a very different star.

3 days ago · An extremely early Type II supernova explosion, named after the Titan goddess of dawn in Greek mythology, occurred just 1 billion years after the Big Bang.

Mar 30, 2025 · A supernova is not just a star’s death—it is a dramatic event that reshapes the cosmos. These cosmic explosions are responsible for creating the elements that make up the Earth and life …

Supernova explosions are spectacular exceptions to that rule. Several different pathways can lead to a supernova explosion, one of which is the death of a supermassive star.