"40-year enigma of the supernova unraveled with the assistance of James Webb Space Telescope, revealing the methodology we employed"

In the July 2024 issue of our website, an exciting announcement was made – astronomers have finally found a neutron star at the centre of SN 1987A, a supernova that was visible to the human eye in 1987 and is located 168,000 light-years away.

The search for this elusive object began decades ago, with one of the early observations planned for the James Webb Space Telescope (JWST). The JWST, launched in previous years, was used to investigate what lies at the heart of SN 1987A, as a crucial mystery remained.

The discovery was made possible due to the JWST's advanced capabilities, particularly its Mid-Infrared Instrument (MIRI) built by experts at the UK Astronomy Technology Centre. The infrared spectrum was necessary to observe the object at the centre of SN 1987A, as it is surrounded by a thick dust shell.

The absence of a neutron star at the centre of SN 1987A had led astronomers to question their theories about stellar deaths. However, the discovery of the neutron star reaffirms our understanding of physics and provides significant data on how stars explode and die over the years.

Despite expectations based on the size of SN 1987A, the neutron star remained hidden for many years. It was not until the neutron star remnants collided and evolved over time that recent observations and analysis using the Hubble and JWST allowed confirmation of its existence.

The neutron star found at the centre of SN 1987A is incredibly small, around 10km across, and incredibly dense. A teaspoonful of this neutron star is heavier than Mount Everest. The core of SN 1987A is now starting to be observed in 3D and it looks a bit like a peanut, asymmetric and not spherical.

Interestingly, SN 1987A may not have been just one star, but two stars. This discovery could revolutionise our understanding of binary star systems and their role in the evolution of galaxies.

In conclusion, the discovery of a neutron star at the centre of SN 1987A is a significant milestone in astronomy. It reaffirms our understanding of physics, provides valuable data on stellar deaths, and opens up new avenues for research on binary star systems and their role in galaxy evolution.

"40-year enigma of the supernova unraveled with the assistance of James Webb Space Telescope, revealing the methodology we employed"