Astronomers have spotted a supernova (an exploding star) in a galaxy a mere 21 million light years away and that should be close enough to see from Earth using a pair of binoculars or small telescope. A white dwarf star in the Pin Wheel Galaxy has sucked in a nearby star causing a massive explosion that will burn as bright as a billion suns.
Although it is very rare for amateurs to be able to see a supernova using binoculars, scientists are warning it will be difficult to spot as it will appear quite dim in the sky. The best bet is to be in a place free of light pollution, look early on in the night and during the next week as the moon light will not be very strong.
We’re wondering if Stronafian Forest can become a place to attract visitors for stargazing. Fortunately, since we have very little in the way of light pollution, we may have a good chance of seeing this once in a lifetime event. The Pin Wheel Galaxy is located close to the handle of ‘the Plough’. It forms an equilateral triangle with the last two stars in the Plough’s handle (above the handle rather than below it). See this diagram for more information. Whether or not we can see this event from ColGlen will be a good indicator of the quality of the area as a stargazing destination (or of the quality of our amateur astronomers!) . So keep your fingers crossed for cloud free nights, dust off your binoculars and getting scanning the skies!
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