A “Guest Star” for 185 Days: The 1181 Supernova Behind Nebula Pa 30
Nebula Pa 30, observed with the Gemini North Telescope in Hawai’i, is likely the remnant of an old supernova explosion. Separate historical records by Chinese, Japanese and Arabic astronomers tell of a “guest star” that appeared in the sky for 185 days in the year 1181, and it is believed that the bright new point of light those astronomers saw came from the supernova that produced Pa 30. That pairing is the pleasure of the thing: a glowing nebula photographed this week is tied to a dated event reported in three different astronomical traditions eight centuries ago.
AI-generated discussion · Different perspectives
Astronomers classify the explosion as a Type Iax supernova, an unusual variety, and think it was caused by the merger of two white dwarfs.
The dating is the real payoff. Because the guest star was recorded in 1181, a modern telescope image can be anchored to a specific year rather than to an estimate.