Author_Institution :
NASA, Washington, DC, USA
Abstract :
Supernova SN 1987A was discovered on February 23, 1987, in the Large Magellanic Cloud, a nearby galaxy that is visible only from the Southern Hemisphere. The NASA program for observations of SN 1987A, which was developed rapidly after the discovery of the explosion, was designed to be implemented through a series of coordinated campaigns of gamma-ray, X-ray, ultraviolet, and infrared observations from spacecraft, rockets, balloons, aircraft and the ground. The author summarizes models for supernovae, recent results for SN 1987A, and the NASA plans for further observations.
Keywords :
Large Magellanic Cloud; X-ray astronomical observations; gamma-ray astronomical observations; infrared astronomical observations; supernovae; ultraviolet astronomical observations; AD 1987; AD 1988; LMC; Large Magellanic Cloud; NASA program; SN 1987A; Sanduleak-69 degrees 202; Type II supernova; X-ray observations; aircraft; balloons; gamma-ray observations; ground; infrared observations; rockets; spacecraft; ultraviolet observations; Astrophysics; Clouds; Explosions; Helium; Hydrogen; Iron; NASA; Silicon; Space vehicles; Tin;