A new supernova, resulting from an exploded star 12 million light years away, is the closest in recent memory and has captivated astronomers.
According to BBC News, the supernova took place in Messier 82, or the cigar galaxy, which is named for its shape. The star explosion was spotted by a group of University College London undergraduates on their lunch break.
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"One minute we're eating pizza then five minutes later we've helped to discover a supernova. I couldn't believe it," said student Tom Wright. "It reminds me why I got interested in astronomy in the first place."
Dr. Steve Fossey was leading a 10-minute lesson when the group noticed what they thought was a "new star."
"We pointed the telescope at Messier 82 - it's quite a bright galaxy, quite photogenic. But as soon as it came up on screen, it didn't look right to me," Dr. Fossey told BBC News. "We fired up another telescope, we got another frame - and that was when we knew it was a supernova."
Shortly after, the International Astronomical Union (IAU) verified the chance sighting as a supernova, a violent blast of light and energy resulting from the death of a star.
Scientists believe it could become brighter in the next few weeks before fading, but they also say it is the closest to Earth since the late 1980s. The light took 12 millions years to travel into the view of Earth.
If it does get much brighter, people may be able to see the supernova through binoculars, where it will be located between the Big Bear and Little Bear constellations.
"Although it is not visible to the naked eye there is a considerable interest as Messier 82 is such a nearby galaxy," IAU general secretary Thierry Montmerle told Space.com. "Many telescopes around the world are now taking measurements (light curves and spectra) to determine which kind of star was the progenitor (the 'mother star')."
