Harvard astronomer and chief program officer of science at the Gordon and Betty Moore Foundation, Robert Kirshner discusses key events in the 30 years of observing Supernova 1987A, the nearest supernova explosion seen in hundreds of years. The Hubble Space Telescope was among the many observatories that monitored the supernova’s aftermath. Hubble gave astronomers a front-row seat to witnessing the brightening of a ring of material around the dead star as the supernova’s blast wave smashed into it.

NASA, ESA, and M. Estacion (STScI)

Publication: February 24, 2017