Scientists capture first astounding ‘slow supernova’ which could be unique in our galaxy

Astronomers have managed to capture an image of an astonishing stellar explosion showing the remnants of a supernova.

Located near the centre of the Milky Way, the remnant Sagittarius A East was thought to be the remains of a massive star that exploded – but scientists now have a different theory.

Study from Nasa’s Chandra X-ray Observatory have indicated that the remnants actually come from the explosion of a white dwarf that pulled in material from a companion store before exploding in a flash of light.

Astronomers call this a “Type Ia supernovae”, because they consistently give out the same amount of light anywhere in the universe, but Sagittarius A East is no ordinary Type La.

Instead, it belongs to a slightly weaker version of the supernova called a “Type Lax”, and Sagittarius A East is the first to be discovered in the Milky Way.