Located a relatively close 170,000 light-years away, SN1987A resides within the Large Magellanic Cloud, a dwarf galaxy that orbits in proximity to our own Milky Way Galaxy.
Astronomers are captivated by SN1987A because it offers a profound glimpse into the intricate processes that unfold when massive stars reach the end of their stellar journeys.Astronomers are fascinated with the object because it provides an intricate view of what happens when big stars end their days; Dying star images show details never seen before.