Supernovae are stellar explosions in which a dieing star ends its life in a colossal explosion. Stars that are only several times more massive than the Sun end up as supernovae. The amount of radiation released in a supernova explosion briefly outshines an entire galaxy.
Supernovae were observed as early as 185 AD by Chinese astronomers. SN 1006 was the brightest recorded supernova observed in the 10th century by Chinese and Islamic astronomers. It was so bright that for a brief period it was visible during the day. Supernovae are somewhat rare events and occur only about once every 50 years in our Milky Way galaxy. Many galaxies are therefore constantly monitored to look for any signs of new supernovae. Supernovae form the "stuff of life" as all the known chemical elements present on a planet are initially formed within the dense hot core of the star.
