Supernova 1987a Ring
Depicts: SN 1987a
Copyright: Peter Garnavich (Harvard-Smithsonian Center for Astrophysics), andNASA
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Recent Hubble telescope observations show a brightening knot on the upper
right side of the ring. This is the site of a powerful collision between an outward
moving blast wave and the innermost parts of the circumstellar ring. The collision
heats the gas and has caused it to brighten in recent months. This is likely to be
the first sign of a dramatic and violent collision that will take place over the
next few years, rejuvenating SN1987A as a powerful source of X-ray and radio
emissions.
Last Update: 1 September 2019