Brief
Gemini telescope images reveal intricate knots in supernova remnant Pa 30
The Gemini North telescope captured thousands of gas knots in Pa 30, offering clues to its unusual “zombie star” core.
By Felo News Desk · Published
Observations from the Gemini North telescope on Maunakea in Hawai‘i have produced the most detailed view yet of Pa 30, a supernova remnant about 7,500 light‑years away, Mashable reported on 6 October 2026.
What happened
The new image shows roughly ten times more filamentary features than earlier pictures, revealing chains of gas knots that resemble pearls on a string. Each knot is large enough to contain the planetary region of our solar system ten times over, according to astrophysicist Ilaria Caiazzo.
What the report adds
Caiazzo, an assistant professor at the Institute of Science and Technology Austria, said the knots are “quite strikingly uniform.” The study, co‑led by Caiazzo and Tim Cunningham, appears in The Astrophysical Journal. NOIRLab noted that temperature or density differences in the surrounding material may have shaped the ejecta, while the Gemini laser guide‑star system enabled the high‑resolution imaging.
What was said
“The planetary region of our solar system could fit in each knot about 10 times with room to spare,” Caiazzo told Mashable. “We are excited to try to model them.”
How it came about
Amateur astronomer Dana Patchick first identified Pa 30 in 2013 while analysing NASA’s WISE data. The remnant is thought to be the remains of SN 1181, a supernova recorded by Chinese, Japanese and Arabic observers. The Gemini observations now provide a new tool for locating similar remnants in the Milky Way.
Key facts
- Gemini North captured the most detailed image of supernova remnant Pa 30 to date. (mashable.com)
- The image reveals roughly ten times more filamentary features than previous observations. (mashable.com)
- Each gas knot is large enough to contain the planetary region of the solar system ten times over. (mashable.com)
- The study is co‑led by Ilaria Caiazzo and Tim Cunningham and published in The Astrophysical Journal. (mashable.com)
Sources
- [1] mashable.com — originally reported as “'Zombie star' and supernova remnant revealed in stunning Gemini image”
