William Atkins
Thursday, 04 December 2008 21:41
Science -
Space
Page 1 of 5
Danish astronomer Tycho Brahe saw a "new and unusual star" in the November 1572 sky. He called it a new star, or "stella nova". This astronomical event changed the way the scientific world viewed the ancient beliefs of the heavens. Now, in 2008, Brahe’s supernova has been explained!
In early November 1572 Tycho Brahe, along with many other persons, discovered what is now known as
SN 1572.
It is also commonly called Tycho’s Supernova, Tycho’s Nova, and B Cassiopeiae (B Cas).
With this research in 2008, the SN 1572 supernova has been verified as a Type Ia supernova within the constellation Cassiopeia.
SN 1572 is one of only about eight supernovae that have been seen and recorded by people, using only their naked eyes.
However, before this research astronomers could not verify that Tycho Supernova was, indeed, a Type Ia supernova. Now, it has been proven to be so.
The Nature News article “
Astronomers revisit a blast from the past” states what Brahe said when he first spotted something strange in the night sky. Brahe stated,
“I noticed that a new and unusual star, surpassing the other stars in brilliancy, was shining almost directly above my head.”
Brahe called this strange sighting a
“stella nova” and even wrote about it in his book “Stella Nova.”
Page two continues tells of how the astronomers at Max Planck made their discovery.
