Exploding Star Ejected From a Galaxy

The Very Large Telescope Array (VLT) caught some dramatic deep-space action last month as it captured this image of a supernova exploding after being ejected from one of a pair of “violently interacting galaxies”. (Click on the image for a more detailed look.)

This supernova was spotted near two galaxies located 87 million light years from Earth in the constellation Libra. The “mangled-looking” one in the lower right is known as  MCG-01-39-003. The  long stream of matter trailing away from it was most likely pulled out by the other, identified as NGC 5917 as it grazed the former.

At first, the supernova appeared to be part of the stream of matter coming from the lower galaxy. This higher resolution view from the European Southern Observatory’s VLT in Chile – released today – showed something else.

“The supernova appears to be outside of the tidal tail,” according to ESO astronomer Ferdinando Patat, who carried out the observations. “The progenitor system was probably stripped out of one of the two galaxies and exploded far away from the place where it was born.”

Scientists classify this kind of a supernova “type Ia.”  They occur in binary star systems, in which a white dwarf steals gas from its companion star. The rising pressure and temperature of the white dwarf trigger a nuclear reaction which destroys the star in a cataclysmic detonation.

Via New Scientist

The Very Large Telescope Array (VLT) caught some dramatic deep-space action last month as it captured this image of a supernova exploding after being ejected from one of a pair of “violently interacting galaxies”. (Click on the image for a more detailed look.)

This supernova was spotted near two galaxies located 87 million light years from Earth in the constellation Libra. The “mangled-looking” one in the lower right is known as  MCG-01-39-003. The  long stream of matter trailing away from it was most likely pulled out by the other, identified as NGC 5917 as it grazed the former.

At first, the supernova appeared to be part of the stream of matter coming from the lower galaxy. This higher resolution view from the European Southern Observatory’s VLT in Chile – released today – showed something else.

“The supernova appears to be outside of the tidal tail,” according to ESO astronomer Ferdinando Patat, who carried out the observations. “The progenitor system was probably stripped out of one of the two galaxies and exploded far away from the place where it was born.”

Scientists classify this kind of a supernova “type Ia.”  They occur in binary star systems, in which a white dwarf steals gas from its companion star. The rising pressure and temperature of the white dwarf trigger a nuclear reaction which destroys the star in a cataclysmic detonation.

Via New Scientist