Supernova 1987A in the era of JWST

by Prof. Josefin Larsson (KTH)

Tuesday 26 Sept 2023, 13:15 → 14:00 Europe/Stockholm

FD5 (AlbaNova Main Building)

In 1987, the nearest supernova (SN) since the advent of modern telescopes occurred in the Large Magellanic Cloud, providing us with a unique opportunity to study the explosive death of a massive star and the birth of a SN remnant. Recent observations by JWST have now greatly advanced our understanding of this iconic event. The observations show the presence of narrow lines from highly ionised argon and sulphur at the very center of the remnant, which provides the first clear electromagnetic signal from the compact object created in the explosion. In addition, we have obtained a wealth of new information about the ejecta and interaction with the circumstellar medium, including the full 3D morphology. These results give new insights into the properties of the progenitor and the explosion.