Chandra X-ray

- brightest and most energetic stellar explosion ever recorded

- caused by the collapse of an extremely massive star

- discovered around September 18, 2006. by Robert Quimby and P. Mondol

- distant galaxy (NGC 1260), approximately 238 million light years (72 megaparsecs) away

- occurred about 238 million years ago.

type referred to as a pair instability supernova.

- kinetic energy: 1052 ergs

- Came from an unusually high-energy supernova of a very large star, around 150 solar masses (M ⊙),
possibly of a type referred to as a pair instability supernova.

- pair instability supernova: very massive stars (130 to 250 solar masses). The massive star's core
can produce high energy gamma rays which have a greater energy than the rest mass of two electrons
(mass-energy equivalence) à interact with electromagnetic fields of the atomic nuclei in the star,
and become particle and anti-particle pairs of electrons and positrons à average travel distance
of the gamma rays to becomes shorter, à temperature of the interior of the star to rise à even larger fraction
of the produced gamma rays to be of high enough energy for pair production à more of the energy to be
reabsorbed closer to its source à runaway reaction. As the energy is concentrated more and more
into the star's core, the outer layers start to fall inwards, which then compress the core.
The compression and heating produce a rapid (few seconds) thermonuclear burn or explosion
of the core material. The explosion blows the star completely apart without leaving a black hole remnant behind.

- 10 times as bright as SN1987a, but too far away to be seen w/out a telescope

- similar to predicted Eta Carinae explosion (actually closer)