The star that exploded on February 23 in the Large Magellanic Cloud
The star that exploded on February 23 in the Large Magellanic Cloud (the progenitor of supernova 1987A) has now been identified. It was catalogued in 1969 as an OB star of 12th magnitude and given the designation Sanduleak -69 202. Observations at the European Southern Observatory in the mid-1970's allowed to classify it as of spectral type B3 I, that is a very hot, supergiant star.
Credit:ESO
About the Image
| Id: | eso8705a |
| Type: | Observation |
| Release date: | 3 March 1987 |
| Related releases: | eso8705 |
| Size: | 1743 x 1725 px |
About the Object
| Name: | SN 1987A, Tarantula Nebula |
| Type: | Local Universe : Nebula Local Universe : Star : Evolutionary Stage : Supernova |
| Distance: | 170000 light years |
| Category: | Stars |
