A supernova can light the sky up for weeks, and the massive transfer of matter and energy leaves behind a very different star. Supernovas are some of the brightest events in the universe, occasionally outshining entire galaxies at their peak. Many supernovas can be seen from billions of light-years away, and nearby supernovas รขโ‚ฌยฆ

This drives an expanding shock wave into the surrounding interstellar medium, sweeping up an รขโ‚ฌยฆ What is a supernova? Learn how massive stars explode, the types of supernovae, and the famous cosmic events captured by astronomers.