New Supernova Could Nix Evidence of Dark Matter

New Supernova Could Nix Evidence of Dark Matter

An exploding star spotted in 2005 defies the cuurent theories and observations. The theory of how it ignited could explain something unexpected: Why we have calcium in our bones. Astronomers have reported a whole new type of supernova, which seems to spew out calcium and titanium. While most reports focused on the calcium, it's the titanium that's really interesting - the finding could negate ongoing efforts to find signs of dark matter at the center of the Milky Way.

The team of astronomers, led by Hagai Perets, at the Harvard-Smithsonian Center for Astrophysics, and Avishay Gal-Yam of the Weizmann Institute of Science in Rehovot, Israel, presented evidence that supernova SN 2005E is distinct from the two main classes of supernovae: Type Ia supernovae, thought to be old, white dwarf stars that accrete matter from a companion until they undergo a thermonuclear explosion that blows them apart entirely; and Type Ib/c or Type II supernovae, thought to be hot, massive and short-lived stars that explode and leave behind black holes or neutron stars.