Named SN2021yfj, the supernova challenges long-standing theories and provides the first glimpse deep inside a dying stellar giant.
Normally, when massive stars collapse in a supernova, astronomers detect strong traces of lighter elements such as hydrogen and helium. The recently observed event, named SN 2021yfj, stood out because its chemical fingerprint appeared to be very different.
For decades, scientists have proposed that giant stars are structured in layers, much like the rings of an onion. The outer shells should be made of lighter elements, while progressively heavier elements are found deeper inside, ending with an iron core at the center.
Near the end of its life, SN 2021yfj’s stripped-to-the-bone progenitor underwent two rare and extremely violent pair-instability episodes, ejecting shells rich in silicon (grey), sulphur (yellow), and argon (purple).
The collision of these massive shells is so violent that it created a
brilliant supernova that could still be seen at a distance of 2.2 billion light-years. SN 2021yfj is so unusual that it defines a new class, Type Ien, and the star itself may have survived the event.
This rare finding provides the first direct glimpse into the long-hypothesized layered interiors of massive stars and allows scientists to see what lies deep inside, only moments before stellar death. The results were published on August 20 in the journal Nature.
“This event quite literally looks like nothing anyone has ever seen before,” added Northwestern’s Adam Miller. “It was almost so weird that we thought maybe we didn’t observe the correct object. This star is telling us that our ideas and theories for how stars evolve are too narrow. There must be more exotic pathways for a massive star to end its life that we hadn’t considered....While we have a theory for how nature created this particular explosion,” Miller said, “I wouldn’t bet my life that it’s correct.... This star really underscores the need to uncover more of these rare supernovae to better understand their nature and how they form.”
This rare finding provides the first direct glimpse into the long-hypothesized layered interiors of massive stars and allows scientists to see what lies deep inside, only moments before stellar death. The results were published on August 20 in the journal Nature.
“This event quite literally looks like nothing anyone has ever seen before,” added Northwestern’s Adam Miller. “It was almost so weird that we thought maybe we didn’t observe the correct object. This star is telling us that our ideas and theories for how stars evolve are too narrow. There must be more exotic pathways for a massive star to end its life that we hadn’t considered....While we have a theory for how nature created this particular explosion,” Miller said, “I wouldn’t bet my life that it’s correct.... This star really underscores the need to uncover more of these rare supernovae to better understand their nature and how they form.”
SciTechDaily
*I wouldn't bet my life either---I'll stick with Through faith we understand that the worlds were framed by the word of God, so that things which are seen were not made of things which do appear. Hebrews 11:3....that goes for the stars too...
*I wouldn't bet my life either---I'll stick with Through faith we understand that the worlds were framed by the word of God, so that things which are seen were not made of things which do appear. Hebrews 11:3....that goes for the stars too...
