Strange Supernovae Prompt Rethink
Strange Supernovae Prompt Rethink
The astronomers suggest that a new class of supernovae may exist — a supernova that evolves in the style of the Type 1a, but lives and dies much more swiftly, driven by the creation of an exceptionally massive white dwarf.
“We know that the more massive a star is, the shorter its lifetime,” ESA quoted Kazimierz Borkowski of North Carolina State University as saying.
“If such a star could also begin to pull matter from its companion at an early stage, then this star would have a much shorter fuse and explode in only about 100 million years, much less than other Type 1a supernovas.”