The supernova has two faces

摘要

The variety of stellar deaths is less than we thought. A compilation of new and archival data shows that two previously distinct subtypes of supernova are actually two sides of the same lopsided coin.rnSome stars will survive a billion years or more, then be torn apart in the few seconds of a supernova explosion. We never witness that last violent breath, only its aftermath - a glowing cloud of radioactive debris expelled at speeds exceeding 10,000 kilometres per second and visible more than halfway across the observable Universe. On page 82 of this issue, Maeda et al. survey the distribution of wreckage to show just how unbalanced those final moments were.