14 DAY TRIAL // Astronomers using the NASA/ESA Hubble Space Telescope have recently captured a new image of a stellar object called SBW2007, or SBW1, which they say is about to explode into a massive supernova.
These blasts, which are cataloged to be some of the most energetic events in the Universe, occur when a massive star at least 8 times heavier than the Sun exhausts its hydrogen reserves and becomes unstable. Supernovae are so bright that they can briefly outshine entire galaxies.
At this point, SBW1 is made up of a giant star and its surrounding nebula. The latter is produced by material that is being ejected from the outer layers of the star's atmosphere. When the explosion occurs, all stellar layers except the core will be pushed out into space violently, and the core will implode.
This Hubble image is eerily similar to photos snapped by the telescope of the famous supernova SN 1987A, whose explosion was seen live by astronomers. The two objects look exactly the same, which is what led astrophysicists to believe that SBW1 is set to explode.
Being too close to a supernova is dangerous, but Earth is located about 20,000 light-years away from this particular object. That is not as far away as you may think, mind you, but it is a good, safe distance to kick back and enjoy the show.