Supernovae Type Ia

Type Ia supernovae are powerful stellar explosions that occur in binary star systems when a white dwarf star, which is the dense remnant of a star like our Sun, gains enough material from its companion to reach a critical mass. This causes a runaway nuclear reaction, igniting a brilliant explosion that briefly outshines entire galaxies. These supernovae are important for astronomy because their consistent brightness makes them reliable “standard candles” to measure cosmic distances, helping scientists understand the scale and expansion of the universe.