Backyard Telescope Captures Close Supernova Explosion.

Astronomers have confirmed a possible supernova in the Pinwheel Galaxy, also known as Messier 101, making it the closest supernova in nine years and the closest giant exploding star in almost two decades. The progenitor star appears to have been identified in archival images from the Spitzer telescope, showing fluctuations in its infrared brightness over the last twenty years. Astrophotographers are already capturing images of the supernova, which is currently 14th magnitude and visible through a medium-sized home telescope under dark skies. The Pinwheel has 2-10 times as many stars as our own galaxy and is much more active in forming new ones.