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| SN 1604 | |
 A false-color composite (HST/SIRTF) image of the supernova remnant nebula from SN 1604. Credit: HST/NASA/ESA. |
|
| Observation data (Epoch J2000) | |
|---|---|
| Supernova type | Ia 1 |
| Remnant type | Shell |
| Host Galaxy | Milky Way |
| Constellation | Ophiuchus |
| Right ascension | 17h 30m 42s |
| Declination | −21° 29′ |
| Galactic coordinates | G4.5+6.8 |
| Discovery Date | October 1604 |
| Peak magnitude (V) | −2.25 to −2.5 |
| Distance | 20000 light-years, or 6 kpc |
| Physical characteristics | |
| Progenitor | Unknown |
| Progenitor type | Unknown |
| Colour (B-V) | Unknown |
| Notable features | Last observed supernova in our galaxy. Maintained naked-eye visibility for 18 months. |
Supernova 1604, also known as Kepler's Supernova, Kepler's Nova or Kepler's Star, was a supernova which occurred in the Milky Way, in the constellation Ophiuchus. As of 2007[update], it is the last supernova to have been unquestionably observed in our own galaxy, occurring no farther than 6 kiloparsecs or about 20,000 light-years from Earth. Visible to the naked eye, it was brighter at its peak than any other star in the night sky, and all the planets (other than Venus), with apparent magnitude −2.5.
The supernova was first observed on October 9, 1604.2 The German astronomer Johannes Kepler first saw it on October 17. It was subsequently named after him due to his book on the subject entitled De Stella nova in pede Serpentarii (On the new star in Ophiuchus's foot).
It was the second supernova to be observed in a generation (after SN 1572 seen by Tycho Brahe in Cassiopeia). No further supernovae have since been observed with certainty in the Milky Way, though many others outside our galaxy have been seen.
The supernova remnant resulting from this supernova is considered to be one of the "prototypical" objects of its kind, and is still an object of much study in astronomy.
See also
References
- ^ "Chandra X-Ray Observatory". Kepler's Supernova Remnant: A Star's Death Comes to Life. Retrieved on 2006-01-16.
- ^ Bill Blair's Kepler's Supernova Remnant Page Accessed September 20, 2006
External links
Wikipedia content modification information:
- This page was last modified on 26 November 2008, at 16:26.
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