How is a Hypernova Different than a Supernova?

A supernova is one of the most spectacular events that take place in the Universe. These energetic, colorful, and bright explosions and their remnants are spectacular to study. There are over 300 known supernova remnants as of now. Supernovae are important events that heat interstellar gas and can trigger new star formation, continuing the circle of life in space. But what exactly takes place during a supernova explosion, and what are the other types of explosions that can take place in outer space?

Illustration of a white dwarf accreting mass from the larger star in the binary pair. It will eventually gain enough mass from the larger star that it will explode in a Type 1a supernova. Credit: NASA/JPL-Caltech.

Supernovae

According to the Department of Energy, a supernova is a “colossal explosion of a star.” There are several causes of supernovae. One type of supernova is known as a “core-collapse” supernova, which occurs in the final stage of the life of a massive star. For a star to have a core-collapse supernova, it needs to be at least eight times larger than the Sun, otherwise, it does not have the power to undergo a supernova explosion. These types of supernovae are referred to by astronomers as “Type II Supernovae.”

Another classification of supernovae is called “Type Ia.” This definition refers to supernovae that take place in a binary star system where one of the two stars is a white dwarf. The second star may be smaller or bigger than the white dwarf, and may even be a white dwarf itself. A white dwarf is the…