On the evening of January 21, students and staff at the observatory of the University College of London discovered a newly exploded star in a nearby galaxy known as M82.

This supernova is officially designated SN 2014J and is classified as a Type Ia supernova.

This means that the supernova originated from a white dwarf star which orbited another star (a binary system) and took matter from it.

A critical mass is reached when an uncontrolled nuclear fusion reaction takes place which causes the white dwarf to violently explode as a supernova. Typically, these supernovae are five billion times brighter than the sun.

SN 2014J is around 12 million light years away and is considered as a neighbour – in spite of its light taking 12 million years to reach the earth.

Spectra taken from the earth show that the debris ejected from the star is expanding at up to 20,000 kilometres per second.

Unfortunately it is not visible without a telescope as it is so far away, but Leonard Ellul-Mercer managed to photograph the supernova from one of his observatories in Attard

Elsewhere in the sky we find the constellation Orion high up in the south after sunset.

Jupiter adds to this spectacle as it climbs from the east to pass nearly overhead throughout the night.

Use binoculars to view its four main moons change position from night to night. Later, Mars rises in the east in the constellation Virgo, while Saturn rises around two hours later in Libra.

The morning star, Venus, shines at its dazzling best on February 11.

Post your images of the night sky on the Astronomical Society’s Facebook page.

www.facebook.com/groups/maltastro

Astronomical events during February

Alexei Pace is the President of the Astronomical Society of Malta.