A STUDENT at Harvard University has stumbled across the terrifying spectacle of a star in our galactic backyard that’s on the brink of exploding in a supernova. It is so close that if it were to blow up before moving away from us, it could wipe out life on Earth.
Most supernovae occur when large stars run out of fuel and then collapse under their own weight. As atoms in the star are squeezed together, they rebound outwards, blowing off energy in a dazzling and dangerous display lasting several weeks.
But this one is different. Called HR 8210, it is…
