A supernova occurs when a star explodes. This can occur when a massive star runs out of fuel for nuclear fusion and undergoes a gravitational collapse into a neutron star or black hole. Another way that it can occur is when two white dwarf stars merge, or one white dwarf star parasitically accumulates mass from a nearby star. On average, one supernova will occur in the Milky Way every 50 years.
Researches at the Max Planck Institute for Astrophysics in Garching have carried out the most detailed computer simulations of a supernova. Their simulation looks at a supernova generated by a massive star undergoing a gravitational collapse.
This is a three-dimensional explosion simulation at about 0.5 seconds after core ignited. The bluish, almost transparent surface is the shock front with an average radius of 1900 km. (Credit: Image: Max Planck Institute)
