Hubble Spies Most Distant Supernova Ever

The things scientists and astronomers have discovered about the universe around us using the Hubble space telescope is amazing. One of the most recent discoveries by the Hubble space telescope is what astronomers say is the most distant supernova ever seen. The supernova explosion was so far from Earth that it took 10 billion years for the light to reach our planet.

The technical name given to the new supernova is Supernova UDS10Wil, but the supernova carries the nickname SN Wilson. The supernova is known as a Type Ia supernova, which is a kind of star explosion that helps scientists get an idea of how the universe has expanded over time. The supernova is only 4% more distant than the previous most distant supernova discovered earlier this year.

However, that seemingly small 4% means that SN Wilson is 350 million years older than any other supernova ever discovered. The scientists say that by understanding when large stars began to explode, creating a supernova, they can get an idea of how quickly the universe was peppered with elements needed to create cosmic bodies such as stars and planets.

Scientists are also working on discovering what creates supernova explosions of this type. Ever since the discovery of Type Ia supernovas, astronomers have struggled to understand what creates them. The discoveries also the most recent success in a three-year initiative using the Hubble space telescope to discover the most distant supernovas from the earth.

[via space.com]