Robert Lea is a science journalist in the U.K. whose articles have been published in Physics World, New Scientist, Astronomy Magazine, All About Space, Newsweek and ZME Science. He also writes about science communication for Elsevier and the European Journal of Physics. Rob holds a bachelor of science degree in physics and astronomy from the U.K.’s Open University. Follow him on Twitter @sciencef1rst.
Astronomers have made the first detection of a supernova in radio waves, finding that an exploding white dwarf star was feeding from a companion star like a cosmic vampire before it blew. Rather than drinking blood like the vampires of legend, this undead star was greedily feasting on helium-rich material from its stellar victim, which ultimately led to its own demise. was discovered by the Zwicky Transient Facility camera on Palomar mountain.
Radio waves like the ones used to detect this supernova are caused when material ejected by an exploding star crashes through surrounding matter, called circumstellar material; this results in particles like electrons being accelerated to near-light speeds and emitting so-called synchrotron emissions, which can include radio waves.
Type Ia supernovas give out a standard light output that is so uniform from event to event that astronomers refer to them as"standard candles." The light emitted from them can be used both as a cosmic measuring stick to determine the distance from Earth to a supernova, as well as to gauge the rate at which the universe is expanding.
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