See Stunning New Images of a Star Cemetery

Researchers from Macquarie University in Australia and the National Institute of Astrophysics in Italy have revealed detailed images of supernovae produced by two radio telescopes operated by the Commonwealth Scientific and Industrial Research Establishment (CSIRO).

A supernova is the explosion of a giant star that has reached the end of its life.

Current theories explain the existence of thousands of supernovae in our galaxy, but few have been cataloged until now.

But now, thanks to the collaboration of the ASKAP and Parkes radio telescopes, that may change.

Participants in universe mapping projects have chosen radio telescopes because of their special properties.

The ASKAP radio telescope is capable of producing high resolution images with an incredible wealth of detail. Parkes’ famous “plate” stands out for its ability to analyze the farthest reaches of our galaxy.

Combined with their originality, they were able to produce never-before-seen images of nova and supernova.

The researchers were surprised at the richness of detail captured by the composition of the telescope images.

In only a small fraction, scientists were able to identify at least 20 remnant novae. Previously, only 7 individuals were known in that area.

The images reveal much more than a stellar cemetery. The brighter dots represent novae and supernovae, while the green dot represents hydrogen gas penetrating them.

Nebulae, made of material released during supernova transformation, produce a recipe for the formation of new stars. Therefore, this composition also features a cradle of stars.

The researchers explain that this discovery is just the beginning of mapping our galaxy.

They hope that by the end of the project, at least 1,500 remaining stars will be cataloged, with a final image 100 times larger than the current one.

In the years to come, we can look forward to more breathtaking images and new discoveries that will be essential to understanding the history of our galaxy.