The unique blue-purple sphere in the image above is not the Eye of Sauron, but a neutron star of incredible density surrounded by debris from a supernova explosion. A team of international astronomers discovered this neutron star hidden within Supernova 1987A, the most studied and brightest supernova in 400 years. This event was visible to the naked eye for several months before fading in color.
Despite decades of mystery, Supernova 1987A had no compact objects discovered at its core, even though signs pointed to the formation of a neutron star. The detection of neutrinos from Earth the day before the explosion was a significant indication. A large dust cloud obscured visible light from the center, leading to a major unresolved issue in supernova research.
New research published in the journal Science suggests that the mystery has been solved. By observing at infrared wavelengths with the JWST, researchers found heavy argon and sulfur atoms that had been ionized near the supernova site. This ionization could only be caused by a neutron star, indicating its presence.
According to the researchers, the ionization likely occurred due to the star’s rapid rotation or radiation as it cooled from extremely high temperatures to a million degrees Celsius. Co-author of the study, Professor Josephine Larson, expressed surprise at the discovery, stating, “This supernova continues to surprise us.”
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Source: www.sciencefocus.com
