Exploding Star 45M Light-Years Away Visible Now
A rare supernova in a nearby galaxy is giving amateur stargazers and photographers around the world a once-in-a-lifetime chance to witness a cosmic explosion. The brilliant stellar death is bright enough to capture with backyard telescopes.
Right now, amateur astronomers with modest equipment are capturing images of a star exploding 45 million light-years away.
The supernova, named SN 2026aaiv, first appeared on September 1 in NGC 7331, a spiral galaxy in the constellation Pegasus. This rare cosmic event is visible from most of the Northern Hemisphere and parts of the Southern Hemisphere, giving backyard stargazers worldwide a chance to witness something extraordinary.
Astrophotographer Andrew McCarthy happened to be working on a massive 100-hour photography project of this exact galaxy when the supernova appeared. "As luck would have it, I happened to be in the middle of a massive project with this galaxy, and caught the supernova," he posted on Instagram after capturing four hours of stunning footage.
Tom Masterson at Mount Wilson Observatory also photographed the explosion using a 60-inch telescope on September 10. Hundreds of amateur photographers have already shared their own images online.
The supernova is a Type Ia explosion, which happens when a white dwarf star pulls too much material from a companion star and triggers a runaway thermonuclear reaction. The entire star gets destroyed in the blast.
Finding it is surprisingly doable for dedicated hobbyists. After dark, look east for the Great Square of Pegasus, four bright stars forming a diamond shape. The galaxy sits just above the northwestern corner star, near a dimmer star called Matar.
Users of smart telescopes like the Seestar S50 have successfully captured images with just two hours of 10-second exposures. Larger traditional telescopes of at least 14 inches give determined observers a chance to see it visually using a technique called averted vision, where you look slightly to the side to engage your eye's more sensitive cells.
The Bright Side
NGC 7331, the host galaxy, is remarkably similar to our own Milky Way in size, shape, and mass. British astronomer William Herschel discovered it in 1784, the same scientist who found Uranus and cataloged over 2,500 deep-sky objects.
Interestingly, this is the second Type Ia supernova to appear in NGC 7331 in just two months. Another one, SN 2025rbs, was spotted on July 14, 2025.
The supernova is still brightening, so photographers are racing to capture it before it fades from view in the coming weeks.
A dying star 45 million years in the past is reminding us that the universe puts on shows worth staying up for.
More Images
Based on reporting by Space.com
This story was written by BrightWire based on verified news reports.
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