Spectacular ultraviolet flash may finally explain how white dwarfs explode
Thursday, July 23, 2020 - 18:00
in Astronomy & Space
For just the second time ever, astrophysicists have spotted a spectacular flash of ultraviolet (UV) light accompanying a white dwarf explosion. An extremely rare type of supernova, the event is poised to offer insights into several long-standing mysteries, including what causes white dwarfs to explode, how dark energy accelerates the cosmos and how the universe creates heavy metals, such as iron.