Astronomers noticed the strange behavior of the parent star a huge red-colored star called a red giant before it exploded and were able to track its changes as it became a supernova. This supernova was visible from the southern hemisphere. Since this eruption, scientists have learned that its parent star may have once been a hot blue star with a mass about 20 times that of the Sun. The star probably swelled into a red giant star before it exploded. Scientists are continually searching for and studying supernovas.
Astronomers learn about the final evolutionary paths of massive stars from supernovas.
In addition, supernovas give clues to the origin of the chemical elements that make up stars, planets, and even life. A supernova in a distant galaxy can even help astronomers measure the distance to the galaxy. To do this, astronomers examine the radiation emitted by the shell of material from the star's atmosphere and use the information they gain to develop models of how wide the shell is. They then compare the width of their model to the apparent width of the shell as viewed from Earth to estimate the distance to the supernova remnant and to its parent galaxy. Return to Cosmiverse Reference Library Microsoft Corporation.