Astronomers have recorded the early stages of a supernova explosion in a galaxy located about 500 million light-years from Earth.

Supernovae are considered some of the most dramatic events in the Universe. Recently, a study was published reporting the discovery of a supernova in a distant galaxy approximately 500 million light-years away.

In March 2026, the Einstein Probe detected an X-ray burst coming from this galaxy. Following this event, additional observations were carried out, including with NSF NoirLab instruments.

As a result, scientists managed to capture the very first moments of the explosion, when the shock wave reached the star’s surface and the initial light of the supernova appeared. According to experts, this supernova belongs to the Ic type with broad lines (Ic-BL) and has been designated SN 2026gzf. Such objects are capable of producing gamma-ray bursts.

What makes this event unique is the unusually weak initial shock wave, which is rarely observed in supernovae of this type. No signs of a gamma-ray burst were detected either. Further observations across different wavelengths using highly sensitive instruments did not reveal any relativistic jets or afterglows, which typically accompany such phenomena. The likely reason for this is thought to be the suppression of the jet, either by the star’s surface or by the surrounding material.

It is known that the explosion occurred as a result of the death of a star whose mass was about 20 times greater than that of the Sun. However, many details about the behavior of this object remain unclear, and further research is planned to shed light on these mysteries.