On Sunday, NASA initiated the launch of a new sounding rocket with the primary aim of investigating a celestial occurrence within the Cygnus Loop.

This particular event pertains to a supernova remnant that transpired approximately 20,000 years ago. The Cygnus Loop is located at a distance of around 2,600 light years from our planet.

The sounding rocket mission, bearing the name “Integral Field Ultraviolet Spectroscope Experiment” (INFUSE), took off from the White Sands Missile Range in New Mexico on October 29, WION reported.

According to the insights of astronomers, a colossal star, potentially with a mass 20 times that of our sun, experienced a supernova explosion of such luminosity that it might have been observable from Earth.

Subsequent to this dramatic supernova event, certain remnants and materials from the explosion were left suspended within the cosmos, collectively recognized by astronomers as the Cygnus Loop.

The INFUSE mission is designed to meticulously investigate the Cygnus Loop, aiming to gain deeper insights into the life cycle of stars and the intricate processes involved in their evolution.

Written by staff