Scientists first recorded the shape of a supernova in the first hours after the explosion

Astronomers were able to capture the shape of a supernova for the first time in the earliest hours after the outbreak, observing SN 2024ggi in the galaxy NGC 3621 at a distance of about 22 million light-years. This was reported on November 13 in the journal Popular Science.

The observations were made possible thanks to the rapid response of the team: work began on April 10, 2024, almost immediately after receiving the initial notification of the outbreak. Yi Yang, a professor at Tsinghua University, learned about the supernova immediately after flying to San Francisco and sent a request to the European Southern Observatory within the next 12 hours. A day after the first detection, the Very Large Telescope (VLT) complex was already directed towards the constellation Hydra, where the red supergiant was collapsing.

Spectropolarimetry has become a key research tool, a method that allows reconstructing the structure of an explosion even in cases where the object is visible as a dot. As specified, the first images recorded the moment when the shock wave, accelerated at the center of the star, broke through its outer layers. Researcher Dietrich Baade noted that it was during this short period that the geometry of the star and the shape of the explosion front could be seen simultaneously.

Blazar series: merging of black holes will help to measure the universe more accurately

How the study of mysterious space objects will allow the creation of sensors and devices of a new generation

The analysis showed that the initial shape of the ejecta was unusual — elongated, resembling an olive tree. Later, the shock wave collided with the surrounding matter, causing the outer contour to flatten, but the axial symmetry remained stable. As specified by astronomer and co-author of the study Lifan Wang, the method allowed to see details that were previously unavailable. Yang added that the obtained geometry parameters are critical for understanding how massive stars evolve.

Based on the results of the work, several existing supernova models are already being revised, and visualizations based on VLT data have become one of the most accurate reconstructions of the early stages of a stellar explosion. The co-author of the study, Ferdinando Patat, emphasized that the project showed the possibilities of international scientific cooperation, which makes it possible to record processes that until recently were considered unattainable for direct observation.

On November 4, Popular Science magazine reported the brightest black hole flare in history. It was noted that the radiation was brighter than 10 million suns and "swallowed up" a nearby star. According to the publication, the outbreak surpassed all previously observed phenomena of this kind.

All important news is on the Izvestia channel in the MAX messenger.