Scientists May Be Missing Many Star Explosions

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By Space.com Staff
published

Artist's impression of the central system of the recurrent nova RS Ophiuchi early in its 2006 outburst. Hydrogen-rich material from the red giant falls onto the surface of its companion white dwarf, leading to a runaway thermonuclear explosion. Ejecta travelling at several thousand kilometers per second slams into the wind of the red giant, setting up shocks with temperatures more than 10 times higher than in the sun's core. RS Ophiuchi may end its life as a Type Ia supernova. (Image credit: STFC/David Hardy.)

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Space.com Staff
Space.com Staff
News and editorial team

Space.com is the premier source of space exploration, innovation and astronomy news, chronicling (and celebrating) humanity's ongoing expansion across the final frontier. Originally founded in 1999, Space.com is, and always has been, the passion of writers and editors who are space fans and also trained journalists. Our current news team consists of Editor-in-Chief Tariq Malik; Editor Hanneke Weitering, Senior Space Writer Mike Wall; Senior Writer Meghan Bartels; Senior Writer Chelsea Gohd, Senior Writer Tereza Pultarova and Staff Writer Alexander Cox, focusing on e-commerce. Senior Producer Steve Spaleta oversees our space videos, with Diana Whitcroft as our Social Media Editor.