The universe’s brightest supernovas are turbocharged by newborn magnetars

image via New Scientist

March 11, 2026, 4:00 PM

• •Superluminous supernovae are more than 10 times brighter than normal supernovae.
• •Magnetars, newborn pulsars with extremely strong magnetic fields, power these supernovae.
• •The wobbling disk around the magnetar, a consequence of general relativity, causes periodic dips in the supernova's brightness.
• •This discovery provides a new way to test general relativity in an extreme environment.

A recent study confirms that superluminous supernovae are powered by magnetars, highly magnetized, rapidly spinning neutron stars. These magnetars, born from the collapse of massive stars, emit powerful radiation that fuels the supernovae's extreme brightness. The study utilized observations of a recent supernova, SN 2024afav, to identify a unique pattern of light fluctuations, which were explained by the magnetar's interaction with a surrounding disk of matter. This discovery not only solves the mystery of these extraordinary supernovae but also provides a new environment to test Einstein's theory of general relativity.

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