The New Dictionary of Cultural Literacy, Third Edition. 2002. supernova
(sooh-puhr-NOH -vuh) A large star in its death throes that suddenly explodes, increasing many thousands of times in brightness. 1 ‡ Most heavy elements are created by nuclear reactions in supernovas and then returned to space. 2 ‡ In 1987, a supernova was sighted near the Milky Way galaxy . This supernova provided astronomers with a unique opportunity to test the theories of the structure of stars. 3
The New Dictionary of Cultural Literacy, Third Edition. Edited by E.D. Hirsch, Jr., Joseph F. Kett, and James Trefil. Copyright © 2002 by Houghton Mifflin Company. Published by Houghton Mifflin Company. All rights reserved.
