A nearby star has exploded and telescopes all over the world are turning to monitor it. The supernova, named SN 2011fe, was discovered by a computer-operated telescope as part of the Palomar Transient Factory (PTF) sky survey using the wide-angle 1.2-metre Samuel Oschin Telescope at Palomar Observatory in California.

Its rapid recovery makes it one of the supernovae photographed within the shortest time after the event took place. SN 2011fe occurred in the Pinwheel galaxy (M101), which, being ‘only’ about 21 million light years away, makes it one of the closest supernovae seen in recent history. Rapid follow-up observations have already given a clear indication that SN 2011fe is a Type 1a supernova, a type of white dwarf detonation that usually progresses in such a standard manner that it has helped calibrate the expansion history of the entire universe.

Studying such a close and young Type 1a event, however, may yield new and unique clues. If early indications are correct, SN 2011fe should brighten to about visual magnitude 10 in the coming days, making it possible to monitor it with even moderately sized telescopes.

Leonard Ellul Mercer shot the accompanying photo of the supernova earlier this week from his observatory at Attard. The supernova is indicated with an arrow. It was not visible in a previous photo shot in 2009.

Night sky events this month

Today: First quarter moon – one-half of the moon appears illuminated by direct sunlight while the illuminated part is increasing.

September 12: Full moon – The visible moon is fully illuminated by direct sunlight. Though the moon is only technically in this phase for a few seconds, it is considered ‘full’ for the entire day of the event, and appears full for about a day before and a day after.

September 15: Moon at apogee (its farthest point from the Earth).

September 20: Last quarter moon – one-half of the moon appears illuminated by direct sunlight while the illuminated part is decreasing.

September 23: Autumn Equinox – the sun crosses the equator – autumn starts. Mars near the crescent moon (morning sky).

September 27: New moon – the moon is not illuminated by direct sunlight.

September 28: Moon at perigee (its closest point to the earth).

For up-to-date information join the Astronomical Society of Malta’s group on Facebook.

Mr Pace is president of the Astronomical Society of Malta. E-mail: info@maltastro.org.

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