The Cutest Thermonuclear Explosion in the Universe
Astronomers have captured evidence of a “micronova” on a certain kind of star.
The first known record of an exploding star comes from Chinese astronomers in the second century. A radiant object, bursting with color, appeared suddenly in the night sky and glowed for about eight months before fading away. In the 11th century, the glow of an exploding star hung around for two whole years, appearing brighter than the moon in the beginning. A few centuries have passed since one lit up the darkness above, but astronomers, with their modern-day telescopes, can look for them far beyond Earth, deep in the cosmos.