Astronomers shocked by massive supernova that keeps exploding for more than 600 days

Astronomers have observed what may be one of the universe's most powerful explosions.

They watched a star in a far-off galaxy first grow so huge it was bigger than our entire solar system - that's from the sun all the way out to far-off Pluto - and then collapse and explode.

Astronomers shocked by massive supernova that keeps exploding for more than 600 days 1510321403002

Astronomers shocked by massive supernova that keeps exploding for more than 600 days 1510321403002

The explosion, known as a supernova, was itself several times the size of our solar system. And it kept exploding, over and over again, for almost two years.

The explosion was so big that it has broken all existing theories of how stars die.

So far scientists don't have a complete theory explaining how it can be so big or why it can continue to explode.

"I'm not going to lie – this is astounding," Professor Alan Duffy, one of Australia's foremost astronomers, told Fairfax after reading the scientists' findings.

http://www.smh.com.au/technology/sci-tech/astronomers-shocked-by-massive-supernova-that-keeps-exploding-for-more-than-600-days-20171108-gzhbfu.html

Astronomers shocked by massive supernova that keeps exploding for more than 600 days

Astronomers shocked by massive supernova that keeps exploding for more than 600 days

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