* Astronomy

Blobrana · L

RE: Supernova 2002bj

Blobrana · L

An unusual supernova rediscovered in seven-year-old data taken at the W. M. Keck Observatory and Lick Observatory may be the first example of a new type of exploding star, possibly in a binary star system where helium flows from one white dwarf onto another and detonates in a thermonuclear explosion.
In a paper first published online Nov. 5 in Science Express, astronomer Dovi Poznanski, of the University of California, Berkeley (UCB) and Lawrence Berkeley National Laboratory (LBNL), and his colleagues describe supernovae SN 2002bj and review the data that suggest it is a new type of stellar explosion.

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Blobrana · L

"This is the fastest evolving supernova we have ever seen. It was three to four times faster than a standard supernova, basically disappearing within 20 days. Its brightness just dropped like a rock" - Dr. Dovi Poznanski, a graduate of Tel Aviv University.

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Blobrana · L

Supernova 2002bj in NGC 1821
A new type of supernova - the explosive death of a star has been discovered in which helium detonates on the surface of a white dwarf star.
The exploding star, dubbed SN2002bj, was first observed seven years ago in the galaxy NGC 1821 by amateur astronomers, but was misclassified as a Type II supernova.
There are two general types of supernovas: In a Type I, a star accumulates matter from a nearby neighbour until a runaway nuclear reaction ignites. In a Type II, a star runs out of nuclear fuel and collapses under its own gravity.

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Position (2000): RA 05h 11m 46.41s, Dec -15 08' 10.8"