Supernova Remnant DEM L316A

These rippling wisps of ionized gas, named DEM L316A, are located within one of the Milky Way’s closest galactic neighbors — the Large Magellanic Cloud. The explosion that formed DEM L316A was an example of an especially energetic and bright variety of supernova, known as a Type Ia. Such supernova events are thought to occur when a white dwarf star steals more material than it can handle from a nearby companion, and becomes unbalanced. The result is a spectacular release of energy in the form of a bright, violent explosion, which ejects the star’s outer layers into the surrounding space at immense speeds.