PHOTO – ASASSN-15lh The supernova, the brightest star ever observed – TF1

For several months, astronomers observe a supernova, a dying star of unparalleled power in the history of astrophysics, with a luminosity 570 times that of our Sun . His observation could help better understand these extreme celestial phenomena still mysterious.

This supernova, called ASASSN-15lh, is 200 times more powerful than the typical explosion of these objects among the most brilliant in the universe. It is more than double the previous record, say the scientists whose discovery was published Thursday in the journal Science. “ASASSN-15lh is the most powerful supernova ever found in the history of humanity and the explosive mechanism and source of the power of the explosion and the energy released remains a mystery as no theory of physics really manage to explain it, “said Subo Dong, professor of astronomy at the University of Beijing, one of the main authors.

At the height of the explosion, the light intensity equivalent to about twenty times that of all of the approximately hundred billion stars that make up our galaxy the Milky Way, astronomers have calculated these. This record of explosive power is an exceptional example of “hyper-luminous supernova”, a rare variety of very high intensity explosions caused by certain dying stars.

The supernova is 3.8 billion light years

This supernova, which is located about 3.8 billion light years from Earth (one light year is equivalent to 9.461 billion kilometers) in a galaxy was first detected in June 2015 by telescopes at Cerro Tolol, Chile, participating in the “Automated Survey for SuperNovae”, an international collaboration that tracks supernovae in the universe .

After several
most powerful telescopes around the world have stepped in to conduct observation campaign that continues today. The analyzes indicate that the spectrum of this supernova unlike any of those of the 250 other supernovae discovered to date by this group since its inception in 2014.

This supernova is brighter but also warmer

Even
compared to other supernovas in the category of the most powerful discoveries for ten years ASASSN-15lh is distinguished by being more warm and not just brighter. The galaxy where the supernova lies is also without known precedent, explain the galaxy in which appears astronomes.La be ASASSN-15lh is larger and brighter than the Milky Way.

To these scientists, this particular environment may explain the galactic superpower of this supernova by the creation of stars capable of generating such enormous amounts of energy exploding. To clarify these and other mysteries surrounding the supernova, the research team will make observations with the Hubble Space Telescope.

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