The Brightest Supernova Ever Seen was Caused by a White Dwarf Spiraling into a Massive Star

Super-luminous supernovae are the brightest explosions in the Universe. In just a few months, a super-luminous supernova can release as much energy as our Sun will in its entire lifespan. And at its peak, it can be as bright as an entire galaxy. One of the most-studied super-luminous supernovae (SLSN) is called SN 2006gy. Its …