Episode Synopsis "The Everbrightening Supernova Remnant"

Did you think that the light from explosions decreases with time? That makes sense, right? Think again. Recent optical (Hubble), radio, and X-ray images of SN1987a have found that is getting brighter with time. The reason why is that, as the material ejected in this explosion expands, it sweeps up more and more of the surrounding material, heating them up such that they emit light in these wavelengths. In fact, very recently the ejecta collided with dense gas released by the star about 20-30 years before it exploded, causing it to light up. Go here to . Enjoy!

Listen "The Everbrightening Supernova Remnant"

More episodes of the podcast You'd Prefer an Astronaut

• Volcanoes outside the Solar System
• The Everbrightening Supernova Remnant
• Solar Flares and You
• The Age of the Solar System
• The End of the Lone Astronomer
• How strong is Gravity?
• Ouch! The Light!
• Elliptical Crater
• How to make a supermassive black hole
• A WISE picture
• Poor Jupiter
• Pulsars and the Solar System
• Asteroids giving birth
• SOFIA
• The Sun and You
• Double trouble
• The Sun is really just another star
• U2 and NASA make a video
• 7 Little Planets orbitting one star
• How is a black hole like a Volcano?
• Another possible site...
• The moon is shrinking!
• Ancient star formation
• Dawn on an asteroid
• The nature of dark energy