A supernova is when a star explodes. Imagine a big ball of fire in the sky that is so bright, it can be seen even during the day! When a star runs out of fuel, it can no longer keep itself from collapsing. This collapse causes a huge explosion, sending matter and energy flying out into space. This explosion can be so powerful that it can outshine an entire galaxy for a short period of time.
Sometimes, when a star explodes it creates a black hole. A black hole is a place in space where gravity is so strong that not even light can escape. Imagine a big vacuum cleaner that sucks up everything around it! It’s so strong that even stars and planets can get sucked in. Black holes are not visible to the eye, but scientists can detect them by studying the movement of stars and other objects around them.
Supernovae are very rare, happening only a few times in a galaxy like the Milky Way each century. That’s why it’s so special when we get to see one! Next time you look up at the night sky, remember that you are looking at billions of stars, and some of them might be on the brink of exploding into a supernova.
In summary, a supernova is a huge explosion of a star, which can be as bright as an entire galaxy. It can also create a black hole, which is a place in space where gravity is so strong that not even light can escape. Supernovae are very rare and special events, and next time you look up at the night sky remember that some of those stars might be on the verge of exploding into one.