Uploaded August 2010 | Updated September 2026, 2 weeks ago
European Southern Observatory (ESO) computer animation showing the first three-dimensional view of material expelled by a recently exploded star. Data from ESO's Very Large Telescope was used to create the 3D view of Supernova 1987A, which appears towards the end of the video and shows two outer rings, an inner ring and, in the middle, the deformed shape of the expelled material. The data show the original blast was concentrated in one direction, which ESO says indicates the supernova was very turbulent.
European Southern Observatory (ESO) computer animation showing the first three-dimensional view of material expelled by a recently exploded star. Data from ESO's Very Large Telescope was used to create the 3D view of Supernova 1987A, which appears towards the end of the video and shows two outer rings, an inner ring and, in the middle, the deformed shape of the expelled material. The data show the original blast was concentrated in one direction, which ESO says indicates the supernova was very turbulent.
