How was the KSN 2011d Supernova Detected?

In summary, NASA's Kepler telescope unexpectedly caught the early flash of an exploding star while searching for exoplanet transits. They were not specifically looking for signs of a supernova, but rather combed through their database for rapid increases in brightness. This finding was a fortunate bonus and highlights the effectiveness of the NASA STEM program, which allows students to work with experts in the field and pass on their knowledge to their peers.
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It was caught by the Kepler telescope. Kepler measures the brightnesses of hundreds of thousands of stars simultaneously every 30 minutes in the search for exoplanet transits. This finding was an unexpected bonus.
 
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phyzguy said:
It was caught by the Kepler telescope. Kepler measures the brightnesses of hundreds of thousands of stars simultaneously every 30 minutes in the search for exoplanet transits. This finding was an unexpected bonus.
According to Kepler what are the signs that a star is about to go supernova?
 
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Greg Bernhardt said:
According to Kepler what are the signs that a star is about to go supernova?

I'm not sure. I think they just combed through the Kepler database looking for very rapid increases in brightness. I don't think they predicted this star would go supernova - they witnessed it after the fact.
 
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phyzguy said:
I'm not sure. I think they just combed through the Kepler database looking for very rapid increases in brightness. I don't think they predicted this star would go supernova - they witnessed it after the fact.
During the last summer I got my granddaughter involved with NASA's stem program for Middle through High school. She was fortunate enough to get assigned the senior lead programmer for Kepler at Ames research as her mentor, I in turn was fortunate enough to get a chance to ask questions about Kepler and learned that the way they search for exoplanets is to watch for very subtle dimming of star light that occurs during transits by planets. The sudden flash of a supernova would be impossible for them to miss. Considering the relatively narrow field that they scan at a time catching the supernova was very lucky but once it occurred in the data it would have shown up like a flashbulb.
another upside to the NASA STEM program is that now my granddaughter is "mentoring" classmates in her schools own STEM program.
 

1. What is the KSN 2011d supernova animation?

The KSN 2011d supernova animation is a visual representation of the explosion of a supernova known as KSN 2011d. It was created using data from the Kepler Space Telescope and is a scientifically accurate depiction of the event.

2. How was the KSN 2011d supernova animation created?

The KSN 2011d supernova animation was created using data collected by the Kepler Space Telescope. This data was then processed and visualized using computer software to create the animation.

3. What can we learn from the KSN 2011d supernova animation?

The KSN 2011d supernova animation can provide valuable insights into the behavior and characteristics of supernovae. It can also help scientists better understand the process of stellar evolution and the role of supernovae in the life cycle of stars.

4. How long did it take to create the KSN 2011d supernova animation?

The exact amount of time it took to create the KSN 2011d supernova animation is not known, as it likely involved a team of scientists and took several months or even years to complete. However, the data collection and processing may have taken several weeks to months.

5. Is the KSN 2011d supernova animation scientifically accurate?

Yes, the KSN 2011d supernova animation is scientifically accurate and was created using real data collected by the Kepler Space Telescope. However, like all scientific visualizations, it is an interpretation of the data and may not be an exact representation of the actual event.

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