Watch a still brightening new supernova only 20 million light years away
A new still brightening supernova has been discovered in the Pinwheel Galaxy, also known as Messier 101, only 20 million light years away, one of the closest such supernovae in years.
The discovery was made on May 19, 2023. Because the supernova is so close, it was discovered very early in its explosion and is still brightening to maximum. It is also an object that ordinary amateur astronomers can spot using their own telescopes. The Pinwheel Galaxy is located in the Big Dipper, making it a good target for amateurs in the northern hemisphere.
A live stream of the supernovae, dubbed SN 2023ixf, is also being broadcast today by the Virtual Telescope Project, and will be available here starting at 3 pm (Pacific).
No supernovae have occurred within our own galaxy, the Milky Way, since the invention of the telescope, so any such event in a nearby galaxy is an important opportunity for astronomers to learn more about these explosions.
On Christmas Eve 1968 three Americans became the first humans to visit another world. What they did to celebrate was unexpected and profound, and will be remembered throughout all human history. Genesis: the Story of Apollo 8, Robert Zimmerman's classic history of humanity's first journey to another world, tells that story, and it is now available as both an ebook and an audiobook, both with a foreword by Valerie Anders and a new introduction by Robert Zimmerman.
The ebook is available everywhere for $5.99 (before discount) at amazon, or direct from my ebook publisher, ebookit. If you buy it from ebookit you don't support the big tech companies and the author gets a bigger cut much sooner.
The audiobook is also available at all these vendors, and is also free with a 30-day trial membership to Audible.
"Not simply about one mission, [Genesis] is also the history of America's quest for the moon... Zimmerman has done a masterful job of tying disparate events together into a solid account of one of America's greatest human triumphs."--San Antonio Express-News
A new still brightening supernova has been discovered in the Pinwheel Galaxy, also known as Messier 101, only 20 million light years away, one of the closest such supernovae in years.
The discovery was made on May 19, 2023. Because the supernova is so close, it was discovered very early in its explosion and is still brightening to maximum. It is also an object that ordinary amateur astronomers can spot using their own telescopes. The Pinwheel Galaxy is located in the Big Dipper, making it a good target for amateurs in the northern hemisphere.
A live stream of the supernovae, dubbed SN 2023ixf, is also being broadcast today by the Virtual Telescope Project, and will be available here starting at 3 pm (Pacific).
No supernovae have occurred within our own galaxy, the Milky Way, since the invention of the telescope, so any such event in a nearby galaxy is an important opportunity for astronomers to learn more about these explosions.
On Christmas Eve 1968 three Americans became the first humans to visit another world. What they did to celebrate was unexpected and profound, and will be remembered throughout all human history. Genesis: the Story of Apollo 8, Robert Zimmerman's classic history of humanity's first journey to another world, tells that story, and it is now available as both an ebook and an audiobook, both with a foreword by Valerie Anders and a new introduction by Robert Zimmerman.
The ebook is available everywhere for $5.99 (before discount) at amazon, or direct from my ebook publisher, ebookit. If you buy it from ebookit you don't support the big tech companies and the author gets a bigger cut much sooner.
The audiobook is also available at all these vendors, and is also free with a 30-day trial membership to Audible.
"Not simply about one mission, [Genesis] is also the history of America's quest for the moon... Zimmerman has done a masterful job of tying disparate events together into a solid account of one of America's greatest human triumphs."--San Antonio Express-News
3:00 pm Friday.
Jerry Greenwood: When I wrote up the post and checked the live stream, it then said it was going live in about five hours, that day. That schedule has now changed.
Not that this matters. The brightening of the supernova is kind of like watching the second hand of a clock. It moves, but it is almost imperceptible. Today, tomorrow, the changes will be slow and similar.
When I looked at it this morning it implied 3 today. Set a reminder and at 3 pm it showed 24 hrs left.
Trevor Jones of Astrobackyard.com, while attending the Texas Star Party, was actually imagining M101 when the news quickly spread of the supernova. His video documents his experience. Additional footage of MacDonald Observatory is nice. Reminds me of my trip there 20+ years ago.
https://youtu.be/bHEYCO17MkY
9:26
Just as long there are no clouds to hide it all
Yesterdays live feed was postponed due to high winds. Couldn’t safely open telescope doors.