A supernova, called ASASSN-15lh, has just completely pulverized all the luminosity records observed so far in such objects , after an international team of astronomers from the Ohio State University, the Carnegie Institution for Science and Science Kavli Foundation (USA), will verify, after identifying the spectral signatures of the chemical elements scattered by the explosion , that it is the brightest supernova in history. The finding has been published in the journal Science .
The supernova in question, exploded 3.8 billion light years from Earth and came to shine almost 600,000 million times more than the Sun , almost 50 times more than the entire Milky Way. Its luminosity is unprecedented in the universe. Its stellar explosion is 200 times more intense than that of typical supernovae and its brightness (which experts call “colossal”) doubles the previous record detected in this type of stellar explosions.
ASASSN-15lh has just been placed in the first place of the “superluminous supernovae” that appear after some stars die and that are quite unique. Astronomers have classified it as a Type I (poor hydrogen) superluminous supernova. Also, ASASSN-15lh is not only brighter, it is also hotter than usual.
What has caused this incredible and extreme supernova? “The mechanism and energy source of the explosion remain a mystery, because all known theories face serious challenges to explain the immense amount of energy that ASASSN-15lh has radiated,” explains Subo Dong, leader of the work.
It could be a magnetar, although if it were, everything we know so far about these objects would have to be questioned, since the researchers do not explain how it is possible that with little more than 17 kilometers wide at its center it could have triggered an explosion of such dimensions.
“The honest answer is that we do not know what the power source of ASASSN-15lh may be. This object can help raise new ideas and observations from the superluminous supernova group, and we hope that we can discover much more in the coming years, ”Dong clarifies.
Image Credit: Wayne Rosing
