Can you imagine being in space, calmly watching a star, and all of a sudden…

Kepler’s Supernova Remnant, Went supernova circa October 1604  Image:  NASA/JPL ESA-SOHO Chandra/Spitzer/Hubble

Isn’t that gorgeous?  Spectacular?  Better hope you’re a few light years away from that puppy, because when it goes, it GOES.

In a short time, a star going supernova will radiate as much energy as our Sun could radiate during its entire life span… that’s billions of years.  It will out-shine a galaxy.  The shock wave of the supernova blows out at a velocity of about a tenth of the speed of light.  That’s all or most of that star’s matter coming at you at about 30,000 km/s.  The word “boom” doesn’t quite encompass the process.  We’re talking about one of the most powerful, catastrophic events to occur in the universe.

There are several types of supernovae, and not every star will supernova at the end of its life.  For instance, the Sun won’t.  It doesn’t have enough mass.  It will blow off its hydrogen “crust” as its going from red giant to white dwarf, but it won’t supernova.

SN1994D  NASA/ESA Hubble

The process by which a supernova is initiated varies depending on what type of star we’re talking about, and what type of supernova happens to it.  Just remember, it is a catastrophic breakdown of the mechanics of the star.  The process is irreversible, and unstoppable as far as we know.  Most commonly, the process begins when the core ignites iron, as the fusion of iron takes more energy than it produces.  The star burns hydrogen to helium to carbon to neon to oxygen to iron.  The core begins to collapse when iron fusion begins, and the energy produced in the rebound shockwave of the sudden core collapse (it happens within seconds) appears to be what triggers supernova.  The synthesis of most elements heavier than iron occurs in the supernova.  It’s very dramatic.

A supernova fairly close to the Earth (within 6,000 ly) is believed by some to have triggered the Odovician-Silurian extinction, the second largest extinction event on Earth for total loss of life.  This event occurred right at 443.7 million years ago.  Supernovae are powerful, commanding events, and you don’t want to be anywhere near one when it happens.  We get neutron stars, pulsars, and black holes from the event, not to mention everything else.  In 1054 CE the Chinese astronomers recorded a supernova that was so bright they could see it during the day.  We call what’s left of it the Crab Nebula.

This is the SN1006 remnant (occurred in 1006 CE):

SN1006 Remnant    NASA/JPL  Chandra

This is believed to be the brightest apparent magnitude event to have occurred in recorded history.  It outshone Venus, and was about 1/4 the brightness of the moon.  SN1006 is about 7200 ly away from Earth.  Getting kinda close, there.

Supernovae are fascinating, awe-inspiring events.  They are an expression of almost unimaginable power and force.  They are the death of a star; but in their death, life is created.

Just think – if you are wearing gold jewelry right now, you are wearing something that was created in the power of a supernova.