What made supernova 1987A so useful to study?
A)We saw direct evidence of nickel to iron decay in its light curve.
B)Its progenitor had been observed previously.
C)In the Large Magellanic Cloud, we already knew its distance.
D)It occurred after new telescopes, such as Hubble, could observe it very closely.
E)All of the above are correct.

Question

Quizplus · Accepted Answer

All of the given options are correct. The direct evidence of nickel to iron decay was observed in its light curve, its progenitor had been observed previously, its distance was already known due to being located in the nearby Large Magellanic Cloud, and it occurred after new telescopes such as Hubble could observe it in great detail. Hence, all of these factors made supernova 1987A useful to study. All of the above factors made supernova 1987A useful to study. Direct evidence of nickel to iron decay was observed in its light curve, its progenitor had been observed previously, and its distance was already known due to its location in the Large Magellanic Cloud. It also occurred at a time when new telescopes, such as Hubble, could observe it in great detail.

What Made Supernova 1987A So Useful to Study