Ancient Trees: A New Kind of Cherenkov Telescope
Astronomy research can be conducted in countless ways, but when’s the last time you chopped into a tree to learn about the cosmos?
Extinction events from giant space explosions: a cosmological perspective
Supernovae and Gamma Ray Bursts are expected to wipe out any complex life in the neighborhood. Today’s paper looks at how common these events are in different galaxies over time.
Supernovae as near-infrared Standard Candles: Measuring H0
In the quest to obtain precise measurements of the Hubble Constant, Type Ia supernoave have been consistently used as optical standard candles. What if near-infrared observations of SNe joined the race?
A Helium-Powered Supernova
Today’s paper discusses a recent, unusual supernova, which may be the first strong evidence for a long-predicted phenomenon: an exploding white dwarf triggered by an initial explosion in its atmosphere.
The Sad Case of GRB 111005A: a Lonely, Nearby Gamma-Ray Burst
A long-duration GRB was detected without its expected supernova companion. Today’s astrobite chronicles one team’s efforts to try and uncover the cause of GRB 111005A’s loneliness.
An Astrophysical Event (Probably) Won’t Kill Every Species on Earth
There’s no need to worry about the Earth being sterilized by an asteroid or gamma-ray burst, especially if you happen to be a tardigrade.