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Supernova Explosion Animation

This video animation shows the explosion of a supermassive star. Stars greater than eight times the mass of our Sun will self-detonate as supernovae. Supernovae can briefly outshine an entire galaxy, before fading from view over several weeks or months. During this short interval, a supernova radiates as much energy as the Sun could emit over its life span. The star is shredded and blown into the surrounding interstellar medium. This shock wave sweeps up an expanding shell of gas and dust called a supernova remnant. Hubble Space Telescope spectroscopic observations yield the chemistry cooked up by the supernova, including oxygen, nitrogen, and carbon – the materials of life as we know it.
  • Release Date
    September 9, 2009
  • Science Release
    Hubble Opens New Eyes on the Universe
  • Credit
    NASA, ESA, and the Hubble SM4 ERO Team

Downloads

  • 1280 × 720, 30 FPS
    mp4 (1.91 MB)
  • 640 × 360, 30 FPS
    mp4 (531.18 KB)
  • 1920 × 1080, 30 FPS
    mp4 (4.49 MB)

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Details

Last Updated
Mar 28, 2025
Contact
Media

Claire Andreoli
NASA’s Goddard Space Flight Center
Greenbelt, Maryland
claire.andreoli@nasa.gov