New Type of Star Dust Discovered by Scientists
Astronomers have identified a supernova located in a spiral galaxy about 300 million light-years away as one of the most efficient dust-producing supernovae ever recorded. The study, published in Nature Astronomy, focused on the supernova called SN2018evt.
Professor Haley Gomez, director of Cardiff University’s Institute of Physics and Astronomy, explained, “In this study, researchers around the world used multiple telescopes capable of scanning both visible and infrared light to monitor a rare type of stardust, a very old star that is slightly larger and it occurred when it exploded with a younger companion star. The massive shock wave of the explosion collided with material previously ejected by one or both stars, and this ‘collision’ led to the formation of a new pile of cosmic dust.”
The new study of SN2018evt shows that just 1,141 days after the explosion, cosmic dust equivalent to 1 percent of the mass of the Sun was formed. This indicates that SN2018evt is a highly efficient producer of stardust.
This discovery will provide valuable insights into the processes that lead to the formation of cosmic dust in the universe. The researchers believe that studying supernovae like SN2018evt will help them better understand the origins of stardust and its role in the evolution of galaxies.
The findings of this study open up new avenues for further research into the mechanisms underlying stardust production and its impact on the cosmos. It is a significant step forward in our quest to unravel the mysteries of the universe and gain a deeper understanding of the forces that shape the cosmos.
