esoastronomy :
For the first time ever, astronomers have unveiled the shape of a star’s explosion at its earliest stage 💥 👀 VLT observations captured the phase during which matter accelerated by the explosion near the centre of the star shot through the star’s surface. The supernova’s progenitor was a red supergiant star, with a mass 12 to 15 times that of the Sun and a radius 500 times larger. The exact mechanisms behind the supernova explosions of such massive stars are still debated and are one of the fundamental questions scientists want to address. These observations will help shed light on how the phenomenon occurs. Discover more at the link in bio. Artist's impressions by ESO/L. Calçada











