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Puzzling new supernova may be from star producing antimatter
An artist's impression of a supernova. (Image courtesy of NASA, ESA, and G. Bacon, STSCI) An exploding star that continued to shine for nearly two years — unlike most supernovae, which fade after a few weeks — is puzzling astronomers and leading theorists, including UC Berkeley astrophysicist Daniel Kasen, to suggest that the event may be an example of a star so hot that it produces antimatter in its core.
Stars would have to be very massive to get this hot, Kasen said, which is why most astronomers assumed they existed, if at all, only in the early years of the universe. Continue reading…