Ia Supernovae

Type Ia supernovae are powerful stellar explosions that occur when a white dwarf star in a binary system accumulates material from its companion, eventually reaching a critical mass. This triggers a runaway nuclear reaction, causing the star to blow apart in a luminous explosion. These supernovae are extremely bright and have a consistent peak luminosity, which makes them valuable as standard candles for measuring cosmic distances. They play a key role in understanding the expansion of the universe and the existence of dark energy.