AmorphousContinuumNov 30
ESO

For the first time ever, astronomers have unveiled the shape of a star’s explosion at its earliest stage.

The feat was achieved by ESO's Very Large Telescope just a day after the detection of this supernova, as the blast was breaking through the star’s surface.

This brief initial phase wouldn’t have been observable a day later. This will help shed light on how massive stars go supernova.

https://www.eso.org/public/news/eso2520/

Illustration: ESO/L. Calçada

#astrodon #astronomy #astrophysics #space #science

Nov 12 at 7:00pmPhanpy
Show threadESONov 12

While the supernova appears as a point source from Earth, by observing it in polarised light astronomers were able to work out its shape.

Polarised light waves oscillate in a specific orientation. In a spherical surface the polarisation of all waves across the surface cancels out. But if the surface is elongated there's a net polarisation.

Watch our video summary: https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=mHHpONuSZA8

📷 ESO/Y. Yang et al.

Show threadBluejayNov 12

@esoastronomy 🤩🤩🤩 Needs music!

https://youtu.be/6wM8KxEUAIs

Star Wars IV (The Complete Score) - Destroying The Death Star

YouTube
Show threadMercurius GoldsteinNov 12

@esoastronomy

Just as George Lucas envisioned.

Show threadjonathankoren™Nov 12

@MercG @esoastronomy ILM, yes. Lucas, no.

https://scifi.stackexchange.com/questions/13720/what-inspired-the-praxis-effect

What inspired the Praxis effect?

In Star Trek VI: The Undiscovered Country, an over-mined moon explodes resulting in a flat shockwave emanating out into space. It's been commented this has no bearing in real astronomy, despite being

Science Fiction & Fantasy Stack Exchange
Show threadMercurius GoldsteinNov 13

@jonathankoren

Congratulations to the winner of today’s Well Actually Award 🥇

Show threadjonathankoren™Nov 13
@MercG I’d like to thank the Academy.
Show threadStrider Uwe 🇺🇦🇨🇦🇲🇽Nov 12
@esoastronomy Wow. Just wow
Show thread‍🌬️Nov 12
@esoastronomy that's so wild!
Show threadJoan of Contention 😷Nov 12
@esoastronomy Terrifying.
Show threadWinfried Angele 🇺🇦🇪🇺Nov 13

@esoastronomy "Artist’s impression of the initial shape of a supernova explosion"

Aren’t there enough fake images out there? You guys don’t need that.

Show threadJoel TakvorianNov 13
@winfried @esoastronomy I thought it was really observed.. Had doubts, but coming from ESO made it credible. Disappointing.
Show threadESONov 17
@jotak @winfried The actual shape of the supernova can't be directly seen, as it's quite far away in another galaxy. But different shapes leave different signatures in the spectrum of the supernova when observed in polarised light, as we summarised in the second post and explained in more detail in the release. This illustration was made in close collaboration with the team, to make sure it matches the spectro-polarimetric data. The paper linked in the release includes a more technical diagram.
Show threadMattNov 13
@esoastronomy PSA: If you ever come across an olive shaped like that, don't eat it.
Show threadZorg 🍉Nov 13

@esoastronomy annonce ⬆️ que les astronomes ont pour la première fois observé la forme d'une explosion d'étoile moins de 24 h après l'explosion
... grâce au Very Large Telescope de ESO
... avec une SUPERBE IMAGE
... qui est en fait une vue d'artiste.

Mais ça, pour le savoir, il faut regarder en détail sur le site, et avec une loupe, et dans les coins.

Pas merci #ESO de transformer la science en fake news.

Show threadMedea Vanamonde 🏳️‍⚧️Nov 13

@esoastronomy having trouble believing this is real as it’s one of the Holy Grails of visible astronomy .

This is Wow to the power of Wow times the Square Root of Wow

Show threadnatofeNov 13
@esoastronomy
Sea como sea el final llegara. Quizas cuanto tiempo estuvo billando.
Show threadKevin RussellDec 23

@esoastronomy

Please mark artists impression as artists impression, importantly when announcing imaging feats.