January 14, 2016
OSU Astronomers Discover the Most Powerful Supernova Ever Seen

In this week’s issue of the journal Science, OSU astronomers report the discovery of the most powerful supernova ever seen. The object at the center could be a very rare type of star called a magnetar—but one so powerful that it pushes the energy limits allowed by physics.
An international team of professional and amateur astronomers spotted the possible supernova, now called ASASSN-15lh, when it first flared to life in June 2015.