Miryang Arirang Space Observatory Observes the Final Moments of a Star from 20 Million Years Ago!

Successful Observation of Supernova SN 2023ixf with Seoul National University and Pusan National University Research Teams

The Gyeongnam Miryang City Facilities Management Corporation announced on the 23rd that, together with the Astronomy and Space Science Research Center at Seoul National University and Professor Dohyung Kim's research team from the Department of Earth Science Education at Pusan National University, they successfully observed the supernova SN 2023ixf using the main telescope "Byeori" at the Miryang Arirang Space Observatory.

The supernova SN 2023ixf is a Type II supernova that occurred in the Pinwheel Galaxy M101, approximately 20 million light-years away from Earth. It happens when a massive star collapses and violently explodes in its final moments. This supernova was discovered around 2:30 a.m. Korean time on the 20th. The observation was successfully made in less than a day after its discovery.

Miryang Arirang Space Observatory successfully observed the supernova SN2023ixf.
[Image provided by Miryang City]

Dr. Koo Lim, a researcher at the Basic Science Research Institute of Pusan National University who participated in the observation, said, “By tracking supernovae and measuring changes in their brightness over time, we can identify the progenitor stars that caused the supernova explosions, which are not well understood. Especially immediately after the explosion, activities such as interactions between supernova material, surrounding gas, and companion stars are included, so the data observed at the Miryang Arirang Space Observatory this time is very important.”

The main telescope "Byeori" at the Miryang Arirang Space Observatory used for this observation is a 70 cm aperture reflecting telescope that is the first in the world capable of responding to human voice commands and moving accordingly. With its excellent performance, it is used for astronomical observation experiences for visitors to the space observatory and can also be utilized for research purposes.

Chairman Youngtae Choi said, “It is meaningful to participate in supernova research using the telescope owned by the corporation. We will continue to cooperate with domestic universities and other science centers in supernova tracking observations and other activities.”

The Miryang Arirang Space Observatory signed a business agreement in 2020 with the Astronomy and Space Science Research Center at Seoul National University and the Department of Earth Science Education at Pusan National University to support domestic astronomical academic activities.

This content was produced with the assistance of AI translation services.