NASA Announcement May 14th

On May 14, 2008, NASA scientists held a teleconference to announce "the discovery of an object in our Galaxy astronomers have been hunting for more than 50 years." The object in question is believed to be the youngest supernova remnant in the Milky Way.

Astronomers say "G1.9+0.3" formed during a massive cosmic explosion about 140 years ago. At the time, the blast was hidden behind a cloud of gas and dust. But new technology, including NASA's Chandra X-Ray Observatory, allowed scientists to look through the veil and spot the supernova.

Experts hope the discovery will help scientists learn more about how stars explode and the aftermath of the events. Many say the discovery may be the first of many supernovae remnants.

Fast Facts

1. Supernova G1.9+0.3 is 140 years old
2. Previous record holder: 330-year-old Cassiopeia A (Cass-A)
3. Announcement did not include discovery of alien life forms, despite speculation

Quotes

1. ""If the supernova rate estimates are correct, there should be the remnants of about 10 supernova explosions that are younger than Cassiopeia A. It's great to finally track one of them down."— David Green, University of Cambridge
2. "We can see some supernova explosions with optical telescopes across half of the universe, but when they're in this murk we can miss them in our own cosmic backyard...X-ray and radio telescopes can see through all that obscuration and show us what we've been missing."— Stephen Reynolds, North Carolina State University

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