Supernova explosions to help astronomers map the universe: Aust'n research

Australian astronomers believe fuel remnants left behind by supernovae explosions could help scientists measure vast distances across the universe.

Dr Ivo Seitenzahl from the Australian National University (ANU) released a statement on Thursday, detailing his discovery that supernovae left behind reserves of "radioactive fuel" which sets off explosions three times more powerfully than previously thought.

Seitenzahl and his team from the ANU's Research School of Astronomy and Astrophysics first detected the faint afterglow of a supernova, and found it was fueled by radioactive cobalt-57.

He said the discovery gives astronomers important new clues about the Type Ia supernovae, which astronomers currently use to measure vast distances across the Universe, while the discovery of cobalt-57 fingerprints in a Type Ia supernova revealed the star that exploded was likely to be "at the top of its weight range".

"This (latest) explosion suggested that it was a star stealing matter from an orbiting partner until it got so massive that its core of carbon ignited and set off the explosion," Seitenzahl said in a statement on Thursday.

"It's exciting to work this out because there are conflicting theories about what causes Type Ia supernovae."

"It's curious to me that we still don't know exactly what these things are, even though they are so important for cosmology."

According to the ANU, Type Ia supernovae are cosmic explosions that can be seen even in far-away galaxies.

They help astronomers map the "large-scale structure" of the Universe, as measuring it in traditional figures is inefficient.

The ANU said that, for a period of weeks after they explode, they can outshine every other star in their galaxy, and do so in a predictable fashion that makes them a reliable "cosmic beacon". Endit