This page is dedicated to images and information on supernovae, the violent last days of a star whose mass is above a critical threshold--the victory of gravity (general relativity) over quantum physics.
Amateur astronomers have long participated in the discovery and followup observation of supernovae; they can be considered a type of variable star--related to the "cataclysmic variables" called "novae." There is a long tradition and wide network of variable star observers relying on visual (telescopic or unaided vision) who have contributed much to their study. With the advent of the CCD camera and the PC, amateurs have gained access to sophisticated tools for the detection, measurement and reporting of astronomical events, leveraging their ability to contribute to science.
Alongside the aesthetic pleasure of creating pleasing images of the wonders of deep sky, is the excitement and intellectual satisfaction of participating, on however lowly a basis, in the scientific study of the universe. The awesome nature of the supernova makes it an object of almost romantic appeal, and a natural subject for study. Follow this link for an excellent introduction to the physics of a supernova
This page will document some of my efforts at imaging and measuring the brightness of various supernovae, which data are then submitted via the internet for use in tracking the "light curve" of the explosion for scientific analysis.
To aid in the search for supernovae, it is useful to have a large library of galaxy images for comparison purposes; several such libraries are accessible via the net and are linked below. I will also gladly provide others with copies of my images for this purpose, if a request is sent to me via email. A list of images on my server is available here.
Supernova Links
| Multiwave Atlas of Galaxies | VSnet | Int'l SN Network |
| Image Library Query | HEASARC | Pedro Re's CCD atlas |
| Current Supernovae | NGC project database | Other SN links |
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