Exploding Stars: Cosmic Hazards in the Universe?

Stars, while often perceived as constant and tranquil fixtures in the night sky, harbor the potential for immense and universe-altering explosions known as supernovae. These dramatic events mark the end of a star’s life cycle and are among the most powerful phenomena in the cosmos.

Supernovae occur when a star depletes its nuclear fuel and cannot sustain itself against gravitational forces, leading to a catastrophic collapse and subsequent explosion. This process releases a vast amount of energy, from gamma rays to cosmic rays, into the universe.

Although the explosion of massive stars is a rare event, given the sheer scale of the universe with its estimated 100 billion galaxies, supernovae are actually happening somewhere in the universe roughly every fraction of a second, according to reports.

Gamma rays, high-energy radiation emitted by these stellar explosions, are invisible to the naked eye and have the capability to penetrate most materials, posing potential health risks to living beings due to their penetrative and energetic nature.

In our own Milky Way galaxy, supernovae are relatively rare, but several have been recorded throughout history due to their proximity to Earth. For example, a new star observed in the sky in 185 AD is believed to have been a supernova. Similarly, in 1006 AD, an exceptionally bright star was documented, identified as a supernova located 7,200 light-years away. Another significant event took place in 1054 AD when Chinese astronomers recorded a star that was visible during the day, the result of a supernova explosion 6,500 light-years from Earth.