Something fun for a Labor Day weekend. From the Washington Post:
Get out your binoculars and telescopes. This weekend, a supernova that is closer to Earth than any found in at least the last 25 years will be visible from your back yard.The article includes this helpful video, with instructions on how to find the supernova and the Pinwheel Galaxy that contains it:
The violently exploding white dwarf star is brightening in the Pinwheel Galaxy, approximately 21 million light-years away, Wired reports. (Most supernovas spotted by astronomers are around 1 billion light-years away and cannot be seen by amateurs.)
A supernova often causes a burst of radiation that can outshine an entire galaxy before it fades from view.
Read more about the supernova here. Enjoy.
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