Rare Radio Supernova In Nearby Galaxy Is Nearest Supernova In Five Years
Thursday, June 11, 2009 - 19:21
in Astronomy & Space
The chance discovery last month of a rare radio supernova -- an exploding star seen only at radio wavelengths and undetected by optical or X-ray telescopes -- underscores the promise of new, more sensitive radio surveys to find supernovas hidden by gas and dust. Robotic telescopes and dedicated satellites now search the sky for exploding stars, but not all supernovas are visible to optical, ultraviolet or X-ray telescopes. A subset of supernovas is seen only through radio emissions because other wavelengths are blocked by gas and dust. A new survey of the radio sky by the Allen Telescope Array promises to discover more radio supernovas and give a better idea of the rate of star formation in dusty galaxies.