Using the James Webb Space Telescope (JWST), astronomers have concluded a nearly decade-long quest of celestial discovery by identifying a neutron star within the remnants of a stellar explosion.

Supernova 1987A is the aftermath of a star explosion, previously having a mass of approximately 8 to 10 times that of the sun.

Positioned about 170,000 light-years away in the Large Magellanic Cloud, a dwarf galaxy neighboring the Milky Way, Supernova 1987A was initially observed by astronomers 37 years ago in 1987, indicating its numerical designation.

As the explosion occurred, it released ghostly particles known as neutrinos before becoming visible in bright light. This made it the closest and brightest supernova visible in Earth’s night sky for about 400 years.

Such supernova explosions play a crucial role in dispersing elements like carbon, oxygen, silicon, and iron into the cosmos, Space.com reported.

These elements serve as the foundational materials for the subsequent generation of stars, planets, and even molecules that could contribute to life.

These explosions also give rise to compact stellar remnants in the form of neutron stars or black holes. For 37 years, astronomers were uncertain about the nature of the remnant at the core of Supernova 1987A.

Written by B.C. Begley