Rank #32
The First Photograph of a Supernova (1885)
This photograph, taken in 1885, is the first ever recorded image of a supernova. It was captured by the astronomer Edward Barnard, who used a 6-inch refractor telescope to take the photograph. The supernova, known as S Andromedae, was located in
From Wikipedia
A supernova is a powerful and luminous explosion of a star. A supernova occurs during the last evolutionary stages of a massive star, or when a white dwarf is triggered into runaway nuclear fusion. The original object, called the progenitor, either collapses to a neutron star or black hole, or is completely destroyed to form a diffuse nebula. The peak optical luminosity of a supernova can be comparable to that of an entire galaxy before fading over several weeks or months.