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| Nearby supernova dazzles astronomers | Nearby supernova dazzles astronomers |
| (1 day later) | |
| An exploding star has been spotted in the night sky - the closest supernova to Earth that has been seen in decades. | An exploding star has been spotted in the night sky - the closest supernova to Earth that has been seen in decades. |
| The dramatic event happened 12 million light years away in Messier 82 - known as the cigar galaxy for its shape. | The dramatic event happened 12 million light years away in Messier 82 - known as the cigar galaxy for its shape. |
| It was discovered by undergraduates during a telescope class at the University of London Observatory. | It was discovered by undergraduates during a telescope class at the University of London Observatory. |
| "One minute we're eating pizza then five minutes later we've helped to discover a supernova. I couldn't believe it," said student Tom Wright. | "One minute we're eating pizza then five minutes later we've helped to discover a supernova. I couldn't believe it," said student Tom Wright. |
| "It reminds me why I got interested in astronomy in the first place." | "It reminds me why I got interested in astronomy in the first place." |
| The students from University College London were taking part in a 10-minute lesson with astronomer Dr Steve Fossey when they noticed what appeared to be a "new star". | The students from University College London were taking part in a 10-minute lesson with astronomer Dr Steve Fossey when they noticed what appeared to be a "new star". |
| "We pointed the telescope at Messier 82 - it's quite a bright galaxy, quite photogenic. But as soon as it came up on screen, it didn't look right to me," Dr Fossey told BBC News. | "We pointed the telescope at Messier 82 - it's quite a bright galaxy, quite photogenic. But as soon as it came up on screen, it didn't look right to me," Dr Fossey told BBC News. |
| "We fired up another telescope, we got another frame - and that was when we knew it was a supernova." | "We fired up another telescope, we got another frame - and that was when we knew it was a supernova." |
| The "fluke" discovery led to a global scramble to acquire confirming images and spectra from the dazzling object. | The "fluke" discovery led to a global scramble to acquire confirming images and spectra from the dazzling object. |
| It has now been confirmed by the International Astronomical Union as a supernova - a violent blast of energy and light that is hurled out as a star dies. | |
| It has taken 12 million years for the light to reach us. But though this may seem like a long way away, scientists say this is the closest supernova to be spotted since SN1987A in the Large Magellanic Cloud and SN1993J in Messier 81. | |
| Scientists says it could grow even brighter over the coming weeks, before fading away. | Scientists says it could grow even brighter over the coming weeks, before fading away. |
| If this happens, astronomers in the northern hemisphere may be able to spot it with binoculars, by looking between the Great Bear and the Little Bear. | If this happens, astronomers in the northern hemisphere may be able to spot it with binoculars, by looking between the Great Bear and the Little Bear. |