This Firework-Like Supernova Remnant Is the Result of an Explosion People Saw 845 Years Ago
The image adds detail to Pa 30’s knotty filaments and supports its status as the leading remnant candidate for SN 1181.
- On October 6, 2026, researchers published new findings in The Astrophysical Journal detailing the clearest view yet of Pa 30, a supernova remnant believed to be the remains of the 1181 stellar explosion.
- Amateur astronomer Dana Patchick discovered Pa 30 in 2013 using the Wide-field Infrared Survey Explorer dataset, finally linking the nebulous object to the historic 1181 supernova observed by medieval astronomers across Asia.
- The Gemini North telescope revealed that Pa 30 contains a "zombie star" at its center and features a distinct "knotty structure," suggesting density variations shaped the ejecta as it expanded after the explosion.
- Researchers found the central star sits almost exactly at Pa 30's center, indicating no large sideways "kick," while the star reaches temperatures around 200,000° C with extremely fast stellar winds.
- As the only known Type Iax supernova remnant in the Milky Way, Pa 30 offers scientists a rare opportunity to model these low-energy explosions and identify similar remnants across the galaxy.
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APOD: 2026 October 7 - Supernova Remnant Pa 30 - NASA Science
APOD Science APOD APOD: 2026 October 7 –… Today’s APOD Archive Submissions Index Search Calendar RSS Education About Discuss APOD Astronomy Picture of the Day Discover the cosmos! Each day a different image or photograph of our fascinating universe is featured, along with a brief explanation written by a professional astronomer. Supernova Remnant Pa […]
A team of astronomers has detected new and surprising details of this celestial object.
This Firework-Like Supernova Remnant Is the Result of an Explosion People Saw 845 Years Ago
Scientists using the Gemini North telescope in Hawai'i captured a new photo of Pa 30, a supernova remnant believed to be the remains of a supernova that people witnessed in August 1181.
Science Writing, 6 Oct (EFE).- An international team of astronomers has obtained the most detailed image so far of the remnant of a historic supernova (Pa 30), which was observed 850 years ago, and has shown how its gas filaments are formed by striking chains of knots reminiscent of a pearl necklace. [...] The post Reveal the confusing ‘pillar of pearls’ of a historical supernova observed 850 years ago was first published in HolaNews.
Researchers captured the most detailed picture of the consequences of a massive stellar explosion, along with a surviving 'zombi' star in its nucleus that was captured with the Gemini North telescope.
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