Gemini North telescope captures detailed images of Pa 30 supernova remnant

Astronomers using the Gemini North telescope have captured high-resolution images of Pa 30, a supernova remnant believed to be the remains of the historic SN 1181 supernova. This explosion was one of only five supernovae in the Milky Way witnessed from Earth before the invention of the telescope, with historical records from Chinese, Japanese, and Arabic astronomers noting its appearance in August 1181.

The new imagery, captured with the Gemini Multi-Object Spectrograph (GMOS), reveals a cascading, knot-like structure resembling fireworks. The remnant, located in the constellation Cassiopeia, was first identified in 2013 through a citizen science campaign using Wide-field Infrared Survey Explorer (WISE) data. Analysis led by Timothy Cunningham of the Center for Astrophysics | Harvard & Smithsonian suggests that the age and brightness of Pa 30 make it the primary candidate for the remnant of the 845-year-old event.