Supercharged 'cocoon of energy' may power the brightest supernovas in the universe

image via Space.com

September 3, 2024, 3:00 PM

• •Superluminous supernovas are 10 to 100 times brighter than a typical supernova
• •They are powered by a supercharged cocoon of energy that can release an enormous amount of radiation for days at a time
• •The models suggest that the supernovas can shine at their peak brightness for days, or even weeks, before the explosion finally loses energy

Physicists have described how the brightest stellar explosions in the universe might be powered. These "superluminous supernovas" are 10 to 100 times brighter than a typical supernova. While their origins remain largely mysterious, they are powered by a supercharged cocoon of energy that can release an enormous amount of radiation for days at a time, the new study proposes.

Read original article