What is a Supernova? NASA explains

A supernova is the biggest explosion that humans have ever recorded. Each blast is the extremely bright, super-powerful explosion of a star. (Pixabay)

A supernova is the "last hurrah" of a dying star. (Pixabay)

A Supernova happens when a star at least five times the mass of our sun explodes and goes out with a fantastic bang. (Pixabay)

The massive star burns huge amounts of nuclear fuel at its core. (Pixabay)

The  burning of a massive star produces unimaginable amounts of energy, so the center gets very hot. (Pixabay)

Heat generates pressure, and the pressure created by a star’s burning also keeps that star from collapsing. (Pixabay)

A star is in balance between two opposite forces. The star’s gravity tries to squeeze the star into the smallest, tightest ball possible. (Pixabay)

On the other hand, the burning of the nuclear fuel in the star's core creates strong outward pressure. (Pixabay)

The outward push resists the inward squeeze of gravity. However, when the star runs out of fuel, it cools off. This causes the pressure to drop. This heralds the death of the star. (Pixabay)

The collapse happens so quickly that it creates enormous shock waves that cause the outer part of the star to explode! This explosion is called a Supernova. (Pixabay)