Supernova explosion captured in the constellation Gemini 

Today’s Image of the Day from the European Space Agency (ESA) features the distant galaxy LEDA 22057, which is located about 650 million light-years away in the constellation Gemini.

Within the galaxy lies a pale blue dot – SN 2024PI, a supernova explosion that was discovered by an automated survey in January 2024.

“The survey covers the entire northern half of the night sky every two days and has cataloged more than 10,000 supernovae,” noted ESA.

“The supernova is visible in this image: located just down and to the right of the galactic nucleus, the pale blue dot of SN 2024PI stands out against the galaxy’s ghostly spiral arms.”

The remnants of a supernova 

ESA noted that the image was taken about a month and a half after the supernova was discovered, so it appears many times fainter than its maximum brilliance.

“SN 2024PI is classified as a Type Ia supernova. This type of supernova requires a remarkable object called a white dwarf, the crystallized core of a star with a mass less than about eight times the mass of the Sun,” explained ESA.

“When a star of this size uses up the supply of hydrogen in its core, it balloons into a red giant, becoming cool, puffy and luminous. Over time, pulsations and stellar winds cause the star to shed its outer layers, leaving behind a white dwarf and a colorful planetary nebula.” 

The fate of white dwarfs

Most stars in the Milky Way will eventually end their lives as white dwarfs. Whether a star becomes a white dwarf depends on its mass. 

Stars that are significantly more massive will end their lives differently. Massive stars – which exceed the critical mass threshold of eight times the Sun – undergo more violent deaths. 

After exhausting their nuclear fuel, they can collapse under their immense gravity and trigger a supernova explosion. Depending on the remaining core mass, they may leave behind either a neutron star or a black hole, rather than a white dwarf. 

These remnants represent extreme outcomes of stellar evolution and are fundamentally different from white dwarfs.

The constellation Gemini 

Gemini is one of the twelve zodiac constellations located in the northern celestial hemisphere. 

Its name means “twins” in Latin, reflecting its representation of the mythological twins Castor and Pollux from Greek and Roman mythology. 

Stars of Gemini

The stars Castor and Pollux, which form the heads of the twins, are the brightest stars in Gemini and are key to its identification. 

Pollux is a bright orange giant star, while Castor is a multiple star system made up of six stars.

Neighboring constellations

Gemini lies between Taurus to the west and Cancer to the east, and it is bordered by several other constellations, including Orion to the south.

It is most visible in the night sky during the winter months in the Northern Hemisphere, particularly in January and February. 

Significance of Gemini

The constellation is part of the ecliptic, the path that the Sun appears to take through the sky, making it significant in both astronomy and astrology.

Astronomically, Gemini is home to several interesting deep-sky objects, including the open star cluster M35, which is easily visible with binoculars or a small telescope. 

The constellation also contains several stars and stellar systems of interest, such as variable stars and binary systems.

Greek mythology 

In Greek mythology, Castor and Pollux were the sons of Leda, but they had different fathers – Castor was mortal, while Pollux was divine, being the son of Zeus. 

Their story is one of loyalty and brotherhood, as Pollux begged Zeus to share his immortality with Castor after his brother’s death. As a result, Zeus placed them in the sky as the constellation Gemini, symbolizing their eternal bond.

Modern culture

In modern culture, Gemini continues to be associated with duality, adaptability, and communication in astrology. 

The constellation also holds significance in space science, lending its name to NASA’s Gemini program in the 1960s. This program conducted critical missions that paved the way for the Apollo moon landings.

Image Credit: ESA 

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