A star 20 times the size of the sun died in a supernova — and telescopes around the world joined forces to watch it
SMRTR summary
A star died in spectacular fashion earlier this year, and for the first time, scientists actually caught it in the act.
China's Einstein Probe space telescope detected the initial flash of X-rays in March, and within an hour, ground-based observatories around the world had swung into action, confirming what they were seeing: a supernova, the violent death of a massive star.
What makes this remarkable is the level of detail. Never before have astronomers captured those first shocking moments of a stellar explosion with such precision.
Among the telescopes joining the effort was the newly operational Vera C. Rubin Observatory, which launched its sweeping 10-year sky survey in late June 2026. It's the kind of cosmic timing that scientists dream about, a cutting-edge eye on the universe, pointed in exactly the right direction, at exactly the right moment.
SMRTR provides this summary for quick context. The original article belongs to Live Science.
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