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420 Years Ago: Astronomer Johannes Kepler Observes a Supernova


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420 Years Ago: Astronomer Johannes Kepler Observes a Supernova

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In October 1604, a new star appeared in the sky, puzzling astronomers of the day. First observed on Oct. 9, German astronomer Johannes Kepler (1571-1630) began his observations on Oct. 17 and tracked the new star for over a year. During that time, it brightened to magnitude -2.5, outshining Jupiter, and for several weeks remained visible in the daytime. Publication of his detailed observations in 1606 led astronomers to call the star Kepler’s Supernova, today formally designated as supernova SN 1604. Astronomers of the day did not know what caused the star’s sudden appearance and eventual disappearance, but the phenomenon helped shape European cosmology toward the heliocentric model proposed by Polish astronomer Nicolaus Copernicus half a century earlier. Today, astronomers designate SN 1604 as a Type Ia supernova, resulting from the explosion of a white dwarf star, and use ground-based and space-based telescopes to study its remnants.

kepler-supernova-1.jpg.3e93601dc788c1cb7a0ba006f052ce76.jpgkepler-supernova-2.jpg.e84a99020076e649778ab7233b5dea42.jpgkepler-supernova-3.jpg.48976617a16346bb7c1ba0e660b8ce88.jpg

Left: Portrait of Johannes Kepler by August Köhler. Middle: Kepler’s book about his observations of the 1604 supernova open to the page depicting the location of the new star. Right: Closeup of Kepler’s illustration of the location of the new star, designated N, in the constellation Ophiuchus near the right foot of the serpent-bearer.

Read More: ➡️ NASA

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