ESO PR Photo 08a/07

SN1987A in the Large Magellanic Cloud

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Image obtained with the ESO Schmidt Telescope of the Tarentula Nebula in the Large Magellanic Cloud. The supernova is clearly visible as the very bright star in the middle right. At the time of this image, the supernova was visible with the unaided eye. A unique, 256 million pixel large image of the Tarantula Nebula, with SN1987A visible at a later stage, is available on ESO PR Photo 50/06.

ESO PR Photo 08b/07

The Large Magellanic Cloud before and after SN1987A

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Photographic image of the Large Magellanic Cloud, before (left) and after (right) the explosion of SN1987A. The supernova is visible on the right image just below the Tarantula nebula, in the upper part of the irregular galaxy.

ESO PR Photo 08c/07

The Light Curve of SN1987A

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Light curve of the Supernova 1987A over a long period of time. Characteristic phases in the evolution of the supernova are indicated.

ESO PR Photo 08d/07

Light Echoes around SN1987A

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ESO PR Photo 08e/07

Nebula around SN1987A

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ESO PR Photo 08f/07

A Ring Around SN1987A

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Image of SN1987A obtained at different times in the near-infrared with ESO's telescopes. The two first images were taken with the 2.2-m telescope at La Silla with the IRAC instrument, 2468 and 2865 days, respectively, after the explosion. The third image, obtained in October 2006 or 7170 days after the explosion, was taken with the NACO Adaptive Optics instrument on Yepun, the fourth Unit Telescope of the Very Large Telescope at Paranal. NACOcorrects for the blurring effect of the atmoshpere, allowing to obtain images almost as good as if the telescope was placed in space.