Hawaii observatory detects a starburst in the “Pinwheel” galaxy

A burst of stars appeared in the space sky to be captured by the telescope atop Mauna Kea in Hawaii, which was in a position to photograph the effects of a cosmic explosion scientifically known as a “supernova.” A “supernova” occurs when a star explodes violently at the end of its life cycle.

The starburst was first observed by Japanese astronomer Koichi Itagaki on May 19 in the spiral arms of the Pinwheel galaxy. An avid hunter of such cosmic events, Itaki used his observatory in the mountains outside Yamagata, Japan to detect more than 80 starbursts. The “supernova,” known as SN 2023ixf, is the closest in five years.

The Pinwheel constellation is located in the constellation Ursa Major, about 21 million light-years from Earth. The galaxy faces Earth head-on, displaying its magnificent spiral structure with nearly a trillion stars.

The spiral arms of the galaxy are filled with nebulae, which are star birth regions, and they stand out in the pink light in the captured image, and the blue spots of light in the image taken by the Hawaii telescope. Reflects a cluster of bright young stars.

Glowing bright blue in one of the spiral arms of the galaxy in the lower left of the image, the new starburst is believed by astronomers to be a Type II starburst because it occurs during a massive star, which has eight to fifty times the mass. As our sun runs out of material, nuclear fuel, it collapses and explodes, and this is the second starburst seen in the Pinwheel galaxy in 15 years.

Astronomers use telescopes to monitor newly discovered starbursts to better understand how stars explode and to track how the brightness and dimming of the explosion evolve over time.

A new image of the starburst effect taken by the Gemini North Telescope in Hawaii marks the lab’s return to scientific studies after a seven-month hiatus. The telescope’s primary mirror was damaged while moving in October, leading to cracks in the telescope. edge

(Ashley Strickland-CNN)