SN Eos, the most ancient Type II supernova in the known cosmos, was spotted thanks to gravitational lensing, which induced the radiant explosion to appear amplified and duplicated in James Webb telescope observations. (Image credit: Coulter et al. / JWST)ShareShare by:
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Scientists have recognized a far-off supernova ignited by a collapsing star only 1 billion years subsequent to the universe’s genesis.
The James Webb Space Telescope (JWST) obtained visuals of the Type II supernova on Sept. 1 and Oct. 8, 2025. Named “Eos,” mirroring the Titan goddess of morning in Greek lore, the supernova will aid scientists in comprehending the evolution of stars and galaxies across vast eons, as reported by researchers Jan. 7 on the preprint server arXiv.
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Deaths of the earliest stars
The supernova SN Eos was noticed in the galaxy cluster MACS 1931.8-2635, displayed here. The magenta section delineates the region undergoing magnification due to the cluster’s gravity. The supernova appears twice (labeled 101.1 and 101.2) on account of gravitational lensing effects.
A supernova is birthed when a colossal star detonates upon reaching the culmination of its existence. Type I supernovae encompass those lacking hydrogen in their spectra, whereas Type II supernovae exhibit evidence of hydrogen. Despite the type, supernovae are notably scarce; just two to three manifest each century in galaxies akin to the Milky Way.
In the present investigation, scientists harnessed a phenomenon recognized as gravitational lensing to document images of the distant supernova. Gravitational lensing arises as light traverses a zone of space-time contorted by the immense gravitational pull of a hefty entity, such as a black hole or a congregation of galaxies. The aberration amplifies the light, empowering scientists to identify bodies too faint for detection otherwise.
The supernova was plentiful in hydrogen, and its progenitor star erupted in an atmosphere characterized by a remarkably diminished concentration of elements heavier than hydrogen. Indeed, the antecedent star plausibly possessed fewer than 10% of these heavier elements compared to our own sun, the team ascertained. This manifest scarcity of heavy elements bolsters affirmation of the supernova’s exceedingly primeval origin, given that stellar fusion had yet to populate the universe with ample heavy elements.
By dissecting the ultraviolet radiation from the outburst, the researchers inferred that Eos constitutes a Type II-P supernova. The radiation emanating from a Type II-P supernova endures brightly for an interval post culmination, ahead of progressively diminishing. (Conversely, Type II-L supernovae uniformly wane with time.) Eos is seemingly nearing the conclusion of its brightness plateau, the team deduced.
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Scientists still require further observation of early supernovas to corroborate whether Eos’ traits align with those typical of massive stars and supernovas from that epoch. Nevertheless, such discoveries could assist scientists in charting the evolution of stars and galaxies spanning from the early cosmos to the present.
“The finding of SN Eos embodies a crucial advancement toward realizing JWST’s fundamental mission aims of unraveling the lives and demises of the inaugural stars, the origins of the elements, along with the assembly and development of the most nascent galaxies,” the researchers inscribed.
Skyler WareSocial Links NavigationLive Science Contributor
Skyler Ware functions as an independent science journalist, addressing chemistry, biology, paleontology, and Earth science topics. She served as a 2023 AAAS Mass Media Science and Engineering Fellow at Science News. Her contributions have additionally emerged in Science News Explores, ZME Science, and Chembites, among others. Skyler possesses a Ph.D. in chemistry earned from Caltech.
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