The Evolving Universe

Smithsonian Institution

Can you Spot the Difference between a Supernova and a Galaxy?

View PosterDownload Poster

The brightest areas of a supernova - the explosive death of a star - are often around the outer edges or surrounding a darker center where the star used to be.

Galaxies have a very bright center where nany stars are concentrated. In this image, Glaaxy M82 is experiencing thousands of supernova explosions at its core.