Nearly 4.5 million years ago, two enormous, blazing stars swung close to the solar system. They did not touch the sun, but they came close enough to leave a permanent mark on the thin mist of gas that ...

Astronomers are used to dramatic endings. When a massive star dies, it usually explodes ...

Stars often die with a final burst of beauty. For the first time, astronomers have captured visual proof that a star can explode not once, but twice before fading forever. Using the European Southern ...

A new discovery about what happens when a supernova – an exploding star – and a black hole collide could change the way scientists understand the lives and deaths of stars. The finding was the first ...

Citizen scientists using the Kilonova Seekers platform spotted a stellar flash 2,500 times brighter than before, allowing astronomers to identify the exploding cataclysmic variable GOTO0650 within ...

Astronomers have discovered the first radio signals from a unique category of dying stars, called Type Ibn supernovae, and these signals offer new insights into how massive stars meet their demise.

In late 2019, Betelgeuse dimmed unexpectedly, sparking theories it was about to go supernova. Though it recovered, scientists confirmed it's in the final phase of its life. Its eventual explosion will ...