# Einstein Probe catches 30-solar-mass star exploding in rare detail

2026-08-13T03:15:03+00:00 | World & Diplomacy | Indian Opinion Desk

Corroboration: 1 independent outlet

For the first time since 2008, astronomers have observed the full sequence of a supernova from its initial shock breakout. The star, estimated at 30 times the Sun’s mass and located 500 million light-years away, was detected by China’s Einstein Probe on March 21, 2026. A fleeting X-ray flare signaled the shock wave from the collapsing core. A global network of telescopes, including NASA’s Chandra, tracked the event for almost three months. The Times of India reports the star was a rare Wolf-Rayet, stripped of its outer layers. Its explosion, classified as a broad-lined Type Ic supernova, showed no gamma-ray burst, puzzling scientists who theorise a “choked jet” may have failed to break through.

## Coverage

- timesofindia.indiatimes.com <https://timesofindia.indiatimes.com/science/astronomers-caught-the-first-sign-of-a-star-30-times-more-massive-than-the-sun-exploding-then-tracked-its-supernova-for-nearly-three-months/articleshow/133161391.cms>

Tags: black hole, Einstein Probe, supernova, Wolf-Rayet star, X-ray breakout
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