Clues To Supernova Origin Found In Dusty Stellar Wind
Scientists from Imperial College London have detected a dusty wind emitted by a star that, at the end of its life, turned into a white dwarf and then exploded as a supernova. This is the first time that a wind from this type of supernova precursor has been observed and it is also the first time that associated dust has been detected. The properties of the wind hold vital clues to the kind of star that exploded. Dr Rubina Kotak, from Imperial College London, will be presenting the discovery at the RAS National Astronomy Meeting at the University of Birmingham on Tuesday 5th April.