Astronomers have made a groundbreaking discovery about a mysterious supernova that lit up Earth's skies over 800 years ago.
The event, known as SN 1181, was first observed by Chinese and Japanese astronomers in 1181 as a "guest star" that shone brightly for six months before fading away. Now, researchers have uncovered fascinating new details about this cosmic explosion and its unusual remnant.
Using the powerful Keck Cosmic Web Imager in Hawaii, a team led by Tim Cunningham and Ilaria Caiazzo created an unprecedented 3D map of the supernova remnant.
They found that at the heart of the nebula lies a rare "zombie star" - the surviving core of the white dwarf that triggered the explosion.
Typically, white dwarfs are completely destroyed in such events. However, SN 1181 was a partial explosion called a Type Iax supernova, leaving behind this stellar remnant. Even more intriguingly, strange filaments emanate from the zombie star in a dandelion-like pattern.
The 3D mapping revealed that these filaments are expanding ballistically at about 1,000 kilometres per second. This constant velocity allowed researchers to trace the explosion back to almost exactly 1181, confirming historical records.
The team also discovered that the overall shape of the supernova remnant is unusually asymmetrical. This suggests the initial explosion itself was lopsided, challenging current models of stellar explosions.
"Our first detailed 3D characterization tells us a lot about a unique cosmic event that our ancestors observed centuries ago," said Caiazzo. "But it also raises new questions for astronomers to tackle next."
This new study provides unprecedented insights into the mechanics of supernovae and the exotic stellar remnants they can leave behind.
As astronomers continue to probe the mysteries of SN 1181, it may reshape our understanding of stellar evolution and explosive cosmic events.
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