Type Ia supernovae

Type Ia supernovae are powerful explosions that occur in binary star systems, where one star is a white dwarf. This white dwarf accumulates material from its companion star until it reaches a critical mass, triggering a runaway nuclear reaction. This explosion releases an immense amount of energy, briefly outshining entire galaxies. Type Ia supernovae are crucial to astronomers because their consistent brightness allows them to serve as "standard candles" for measuring distances in the universe, helping us understand its expansion and the influence of dark energy.