A star 20 times the size of the sun died in a supernova — and telescopes around the world joined forces to watch it

A colossal star, 20 times the size of the sun, underwent a shocking supernova explosion, capturing the attention of telescopes worldwide. Initially detected by China's Einstein Probe space telescope as a flash of X-rays in March, the event was swiftly identified as a supernova by ground-based observatories. A coalition of telescopes, including the Vera C. Rubin Observatory, began monitoring the explosion, which occurred 500 million light-years away.

The researchers documented the supernova's evolution over time, reporting their findings in two papers published in The Astrophysical Journal Letters on July 14. One of the key moments in the supernova was the "shock breakout," the moment when the explosion emitted its initial light from the explosion as a powerful shock wave. The supernova was classified as a Type Ic broad-lined (Ic-BL), an unusual type often associated with gamma-ray bursts.

However, in this case, the shock breakout was the weakest observed in an Ic-BL supernova, and no gamma-ray bursts were detected. The researchers believe the jet responsible for the gamma-ray bursts may have been obstructed by the star's surface or surrounding material. The Vera C. Rubin Observatory, situated in Chile, happened to observe the supernova since it was scanning that specific area of the sky at the time.

The telescope's high sensitivity and rapid data collection will enable continued monitoring of the supernova as it evolves for years. The Rubin Observatory's mission is to map the entire southern sky over a decade, providing valuable data on various celestial phenomena. Simultaneously, the Dark Energy Spectroscopic Instrument on the Nicholas U. Mayall 4-meter Telescope in Arizona confirmed the supernova's classification as an Ic-BL type.

Astronomers from the University of Maryland used the Gemini Multi-Object Spectrographs on Gemini North and Gemini South telescopes to gather further insights into the supernova's pre-explosion environment. The star, a Wolf-Rayet, had ejected massive hydrogen and helium shells, leaving behind a dense core of carbon and oxygen before its catastrophic demise.

The researchers discovered a "blue source" in the archival data, which corresponds to the location of the supernova, shedding light on the star system and its surrounding environment prior to the explosion.